Aker BP finds more oil in North Sea Yggdrasil area
Aker BP has discovered oil with the first of two exploration wells in the Yggdrasil development area of the Norwegian North Sea.
The semisub Deepsea Stavanger is drilling the Omega Alfa well east of East Frigg, targeting five distinct structures. To date, operations have proven in two structures. Later this year, the rig will drill the Natrudstilen exploration well.
In a results update, Aker BP also revealed that the Subsea Alliance has completed the first pipelay campaign this year for the multi-field Yggdrasil development, with Equinor installing 120 km of oil and gas export pipelines.
Construction of multiple topsides and jackets continues at various locations, with the 22,000-metric-ton Hugin A jacket recently loaded out from Aker Solutions’ Verdal yard in western Norway.
At the same company’s Stord yard, the major lifting campaign concluded for the Hugin A process module. In Egersund, the lower utility module for Hugin A has been stacked and the Munin topside assembled.
Development drilling is due to start after the current summer season.
In addition, the Yggdrasil partners have integrated the 2023 East Frigg Beta/Epsilon discovery into the development and increased projected overall recoverable volumes in the area from 650 MMboe to 700 MMboe.
The discovery will be developed via a tie-in to the Hugin A subsea template.
A recent review of the project has confirmed that Yggdrasil is on track for first oil in 2027, with estimated investments revised upward from $11.1 billion to $12.1 billion.
Elsewhere in the North Sea, the PWP jacket and connecting bridge were recently installed for the Valhall Fenris project, and one of the subsea spool installation campaigns has completed. Drilling of the third well on Fenris concluded, with production drilling at Valhall PWP scheduled to start shortly.
In the Alvheim area, a new infill well currently drilling should produce first oil during the fourth quarter. Aker BP is working on maturing further infill opportunities from a series of improved oil recovery candidates.
At the Equinor-led Johan Sverdrup development, two further wells were recently completed at the field center: a water injector and the first retrofit multilateral well (RMLT), which entailed adding an additional branch to an existing producter.
The rig is now engaged in maintenance activity; it will then start work on three further RMLT wells.
In the Norwegian Sea, the first development well for Aker BP’s Skarv Satellites Project, which includes tieback of the Alve Nord, Idun Nord and Ørn discoveries to the Skarv FPSO, will spud during the current quarter, with first production anticipated in 2027.
Early-phase studies continue on discoveries for the next set of potential tiebacks to the FPSO, including the recent E-prospect find, Lunde, Storjo/ Kaneljo and Adriana/Sabina discoveries.
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