Offshore staff

STAVANGER, Norway – Statoil has awarded ABB a NOK1.6-billion ($288 million) EPC contract for the electric drive system for two new pre-compressors on the Troll A platform in the Norwegian North Sea.

Last month, the Troll license partners committed to invest NOK 11 billion ($1.98 million) in the new compressors, which should speed up gas output at the Troll field by facilitating production with reduced wellhead pressure. They will also allow production from the field to be extended through 2063.

"The new pre-compressors on Troll A will be powered by electricity supplied from Kollsnes [on Norway’s west coast]," said Hans Jakob Hegge, Statoil's senior VP for Operations North Sea East.

“This is the same solution as the first two pre-compressors, which are already installed. ABB also supplied the drivers for these compressors, and this experience means that we have very high expectations for safe and efficient implementation…”

The performance of the electric motors has been increased from 44 to 50 MW, and is based on proven technology developed previously by ABB. The plant start-up at Kollsnes will occur during 2Q 2014, with the contract due to be completed early in 2015.

Aibel is the designated supplier for engineering, procurement, onshore construction and integrated offshore construction, and completion for the upgrade of Troll A’s pre-compression capacity.

The two new compressors comprise the final phase of a planned capacity expansion on Troll A. They will also allow tie-in of gas from Troll West once the field’s oil production has ceased.

Both compressors are due to come onstream in 2015, and will enable Troll A to produce 120 MMcm/d (4.2 bcf/d) through 2018, and 30 bcm/yr (12 tcf/yr) through 2024.

10/24/2011