Offshore staff
ZURICH, Switzerland — MAN Energy Solutions will provide seven compressor systems for three new Aker BP-operated production platforms in the Norwegian North Sea: Hugin A and Munin in the Yggdrasil area and an additional production and wellhead platform (PWP) at the Valhall Field center.
Valhall, 290 km offshore southern Norway, has produced more than 1 Bboe since coming onstream in 1982. MAN’s compressor system will be installed on the new Valhall PWP-Fenris platform, designed to extend the field’s lifespan and more than double its gas-processing capacity.
Yggdrasil, encompassing multiple fields in the northern Norwegian North Sea with resources of more than 700 MMboe, will be remotely operated from an integrated operations center/control room in Stavanger, and it is due to start production in 2027.
The Munin production platform, which forms part of the development, is designed for unmanned operation. Aibel is constructing the topsides, and MAN will provide two compressor units and a digital solution to support requirements for remote operation.
HOFIM compressors are hermetically sealed and oil-free, and employ seven-axes active magnetic bearings. The compressor design dispenses with a large number of components typically in conventional topside compressors, including gearbox, lubrication-oil system, instrumentation and valving.
According to the company, its digitized compression technology has demonstrated its capability to run autonomously, uninterrupted and maintenance-free for Equinor at the Åsgard Field in the Norwegian Sea at 300 m water depth. The subsea compressor systems feature remote-operation capabilities, allowing the operator to monitor and control them from onshore.
For Munin, MAN Energy Solutions will supply two HOFIM compression units as low-pressure and high-pressure compressors for gas export; for Hugin A, two HOFIM compression units for gas export, two radial barrel compressor skids as gas lift (size RB 28) and first- and second-stage re-compressors (size RB 35); for Valhall, one tandem HOFIM compression unit for gas export.
Each HOFIM will feature frame-size RB 45 compressors with an integrated high-speed motor, size M43. The Hugin A HOFIM will include an overhung compression stage on the opposite side of the motor to increase the overall pressure-ratio capability.
All systems will be developed, manufactured and tested at MAN premises in Zurich.
08.30.2023
