Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has authorized manned underwater operations linked to construction of new facilities on the Eldfisk field in the southern Norwegian North Sea.
Eldfisk started oil production in 1979, and operator ConocoPhillips Skandinavia has progressively applied new technology to keep the field in service beyond its originally anticipated lifespan.
The latest development phase involves installing a new living quarters, wellhead, and production platform with a gangway connection to the existing Eldfisk E facility. Additionally, the program calls for modifications to existing subsea pipelines and work to connect the Embla field with Eldfisk’s new facility.
Subsea 7 will start thefirst phase of underwater operations at the end of this month, using the DSV Seven Pelican. It will perform two further phases in May 2014 and April 2015 with the DSV Seven Havila. However, ConocoPhillips must provide PSA an update of planned operations before diving activities can start in 2014 and 2015.
In the northern Norwegian North Sea, Statoil Petroleum has authorization from PSA for continued operation of theBrage production complex.
Brage is an oil field that has been developed with a production, drilling and living quarters facility with a steel jacket in a water depth of 140 m (459 ft). The facility started production in 1993, with an estimated lifetime of 20 years.
PSA has granted an extension for it to remain in service until April 2015, when the production licenses expire. If the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy approves Statoil’s application for a further license extension up to 2030, this will be contingent on submission of a new application to PSA.
5/28/2013
