Offshore staff

STAVANGER, Norway --Statoil has contracted Aker Kvaerner for modifications to the Norne FPSO, associated with the subsea tieback of the Alve gas field. Aker Kvaerner's office in Bergen will manage the $62.48 million engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract.

Design and procurement is under way already, with pre-fabrication of steel and piping due to start in August. Offshore installations should be executed next year.

Statoil has also contracted DNV, for pipeline engineering, and Sumitomo/Japan Steel Works for tubing. More contracts are pending for subsea production equipment, risers, cables for pipeline heating, and pipelay.

Alve is around 15 km (9.4 mi) west of Norne, and comprises four separate formations � the estimated 6.78 bcm (238.4 bcf) of proven reserves lie in the Garn and Not formations.

02/02/2007