Offshore staff
LYSAKER, Norway — Aker BP is progressing a project to extend the lifespan of the Alvheim FPSO in the northern Norwegian North Sea, with the turbine generator control system upgraded earlier this year.
After bringing the Frosk subsea tieback onstream last month, the current focus is on two more satellite tie-ins to Alvheim.
Drilling of the four wells for the Kobra East & Gekko (KEG) project started in January and is ahead of schedule, with startup expected early next year. Also on track is the Tyrving (ex-Trell and Trine) project, with fabrication underway in various locations and pipelay set to start later in 2023.
Drilling of the three Tyrving wells should begin in the first half of 2024 with production beginning the following year.
At Ivar Aasen, first oil from the Hanz tie-in project is heading toward a first-quarter 2024 startup, while the nearby Edvard Grieg Field IOR campaign should deliver first oil by mid-year.
Elsewhere in the Utsira High area, the company is a partner in the Johan Sverdrup Field where Phase 2 production has ramped up to the full facilities design capacity of 720,000 bbl/d. Further tests are planned to raise the threshold to 755,000 bbl/d.
Four new wells—two through the Phase 2 subsea template and two more from the existing field center—have raised the total number of producers at Sverdrup to 23.
Aker BP has initiated studies concerning a late-life strategy for the Ula Field in the southern Norwegian North Sea to sustain safe and profitable operation until cessation of production in 2028. In parallel, a field decommissioning study is in progress concerning well plugging and platform removal.
During the first quarter, the company and its partner took a final investment decision on a new infill well on Valhall Flank North in the same region, targeting startup in late 2023. The Noble Integrator jackup has moved south to the Hod satellite field for Phase 1 of a plug and abandonment campaign focused on eight wells at the old Hod A platform. Noble Invincible will start the second phase later in the year.
In the Norwegian Sea, the Skarv partners have approved equipment commitments for further infill wells in the area. They could sanction one infill well on the Ærfugl satellite next month.
Recently Aker BP made a small discovery on the Ve prospect in production license 919 in the North Sea, with preliminary estimates of 3 MMboe to 5 MMboe.
04.27.2023
