StatoilHydro to focus on smaller fields

Aug. 27, 2008
StatoilHydro will step up development of smaller fields on the Norwegian shelf to offset declining output from its major field centers.

Offshore staff

STAVANGER, Norway -- StatoilHydro will step up development of smaller fields on the Norwegian shelf to offset declining output from its major field centers. By 2015, these new projects could be generating 300,000 boe/d, said Norway reserves and business development VP Hege Marie Norheim at ONS today.

She listed the Trestakk, Gudrun/Sigrun, Dagny, Astero, Valemon, and Peon discoveries as candidates for development in this time frame. "Some might end up as standalone production systems, but most will be tie-ins to existing infrastructure."

The company aims to generate a further 600 MMboe from fields already in production via a series of enhancement measures. "A lot of these reserves are gas which we have used previously to increase recovery by injection, but which we would now like to blow down."

Meeting that target, she added, would involve a widespread facility modification program on existing fields, and substantial activity with floating rigs.

Timing of the various planned projects will, however, depend on the rate of depletion at the host fields. "Each project will require a lot of work and rig capacity...we will also have to high-grade use of our rigs in order to do things in the right sequence. But for most of these projects, it will be a case of rolling out technology that we have already implemented elsewhere."

08/27/2008