Statoil announces Åsgard gas compression contract awarded

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012

In connection with the development of the world’s first seabed gas compression facility on the Åsgard field, Technip Norway has been awarded the contract for the marine operations of the project. The contract is valued at NOK 1,2 billion.

Åsgard seabed gas compression is expected to increase recovery from Mikkel and Midgard by roughly NOK 278 million barrels of oil equivalents. The contract for marine operations is one of several major contracts awarded in connection with the decision to adopt new technology in order to increase recovery and maintain production on the Åsgard field in the Norwegian Sea.

Åsgard seabed gas compression will have a major impact on increased recovery and on the total value added by the Norwegian continental shelf.  Åsgard gas compression will help boost considerably the recovery rate and lifetime of several gas fields,” says head of production for the Åsgard area, Astrid Jørgenvåg.

Quantum leap in technology

Åsgard, which is a central hub on Haltenbanken and a significant oil and gas producer in the Norwegian Sea, is the first field in the world to start using seabed gas compression.

“This project represents a quantum leap in seabed technology and is an important step towards the realisation of Statoil’s ambition to develop a complete subsea factory,” says senior vice president for technology excellence, Siri Espedal Kindem.

The contract for marine operations includes the installation of control and power umbilicals, structures, diverless tie-ins and connection to existing subsea infrastructure. The marine operations on the Åsgard field will be carried out in the course of 2013 and 2014.

The contract will account for approximately 50 jobs for Technip in Oslo and Stavanger over a three-year period. The contract also involves manufacturing requirements that will entail the potential for significant deliveries by sub-contractors.

Increasing volumes

It was in 2011 that Statoil and its partners on Åsgard decided to go in for seabed gas compression in order to recover the large volumes still remaining in the field. Åsgard seabed gas compression will start up in 2015 and have an investment frame of approximately NOK 15 billion.

This technology is one of the most important measures taken by Statoil in order to maintain and increase recovery from existing NCS fields.

Seabed compression can increase recovery on several small and medium size fields in future. Statoil is currently engaged on three such projects.  Seabed compression is the chosen concept for Åsgard and Gullfaks. Statoil is also working together with the operator, Shell, on a similar solution for Ormen Lange.

“This is just the beginning. Technological advances such as seabed compression enable the extraction of oil and gas in places where it would not otherwise have been profitable. We are thus taking responsibility for increased recovery on the Norwegian continental shelf,” adds Kindem. 

Source: Statoil

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