Field developments
11/01/2013 A considerable number of plans for development and operation (PDOs) have been submitted in 2012: six in the North Sea and two in the Norwegian Sea. Of these, the authorities approved four in the North Sea and two in the Norwegian Sea before the end of the year.
The North Sea
One of the approved developments is the Total-operated 30/7-6 «Martin Linge» (formerly «Hild»), which was proven as early as 1978. The reservoirs contain gas with high pressure and high temperature, and oil has also been proven. The plan is to develop the field with a permanent production facility.
16/1-8 «Edvard Grieg» (formerly «Luno») has also been approved for development with a permanent facility. This will be the first major development project for Lundin in Norway. The facility will also handle final processing of the production from Ivar Aasen.
Three plans involving subsea development have also been approved: Marathon-operated «Bøyla» which will be tied to Alvheim, Statoil-operated «Svalin» which will be tied to Grane, and «Jette» which will be tied to Jotun. «Jette» is the first development project for Det norske oljeselskap, and the development plan was submitted in 2011.
The two PDOs that have not yet been approved are for the Statoil-operated 15/5-1 «Dagny» and the Det norske-operated 16/1-9 «Ivar Aasen» (formerly «Draupne»), which will be unitised with «Edvard Grieg». Both will be developed with fixed production facilities, according to the plans.
The Norwegian Sea
The plan for Statoil-operated «Skuld» was approved in January 2012. The field will produce oil from three subsea templates tied to the Norne vessel.
The plan for seabed compression on the Statoil-operated Åsgard field was approved in March 2012. Compressors will be installed on the seabed to increase production from the Mikkel and Midgard fields. Åsgard gas compression represents new technology that can contribute to improve gas recovery and extend the lifetime of other fields.
A PDO was recently also submitted for the 6707/10-1 gas and condensate discovery «Aasta Hansteen» (previously known as «Luva»), about 140 kilometres north of the Norne field. The plan is to transport the gas to Nyhamna in Møre and Romsdal in a gas pipeline, which will be constructed with sufficient capacity to also accommodate gas from other developments in the area.
The Plan for Installation and Operation (PIO) of this pipeline, called Polarled, was also submitted in January this year.
More developments ahead
The oil companies intend to submit about 20 plans for development and operation over the next two years. Of these, about ten may come in the North Sea, six in the Norwegian Sea and two in the Barents Sea, where no PDOs have been approved since Goliat in 2009.
Updated: 11/01/2013