Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – Norway’s parliament (Storting) has approved the Åsgard subsea gas compression project in the Norwegian Sea.
Operator Statoil claims that implementing this technology will increase recovery from the Mikkel and Midgard serving the Åsgard complex by around 280 MMboe.
Over time, pressure from these two fields will become too low to maintain stable flow and high production to the Åsgard B platform. To compensate, Statoil will install compressors on the seabed near the wellhead to raise pressure in the production flowlines.
Prior to the approval of the development plan, Statoil also alerted the authorities of the project’s increased cost, for two main reasons.
One is a tighter marine operations supplier sector, with rates climbing in particular for the project’s installation segment.
Another is changes that had to be introduced to the design to guarantee high regularity, maximized recovery, and more robust production. As a result, there have been weight increases on the modules.
All of the project’s major contracts have already been awarded, and most of the detailed engineering is complete. Module assembly will start later this spring at Aker Solutions’ yard in Egersund, Norway.
Åsgard subsea gas compression should be ready for start-up in the first half of 2015. As this technology has not been applied elsewhere under comparable conditions, Statoil implemented a comprehensive qualification program including realistic sea tests at its test facilities at Kårstø, K-lab. Results to date have been good.
3/27/2012
