Statoil Eyes Norne Extension
Thursday 27 October 2016
Statoil reportedly intends to extend the lifetime of its Norne field in the Norwegian Sea as it targets additional resources to be tied into the field’s floating production, storage and offloading vessel.
The state-owned operator aims to submit an application to the authorities next year to prolong the producing life of the field, brought on stream in 1997, by a further 10 years, a spokesman told Norwegian news site Sysla Offshore.
Studies carried out on the hull of the FPSO have shown it is sufficiently robust to continue operating until 2036 without drydocking, with similar studies being carried out on subsea equipment, he said.
The life-extension project, which has previously been stalled due to cost-cutting, will not entail any major upgrade work but will require maintenance of the vessel and subsea hardware, as well as replacement of some equipment and regular technical inspections.
Local contractor Aibel has a maintenance and modifications contract for Norne under a six-year deal for multiple offshore facilities worth a total of Nkr7.5 billion ($911 million) secured with Statoil last year.
In parallel with the application process, Statoil and its partners aim to drill a wildcat at the nearby Cape Vulture prospect located north-west of the FPSO by the end of 2017, having expanded the exploration acreage for the Norne licence under the latest Awards in Predefined Areas round earlier this year.
The spokesman said “there is still exploration potential in the area” and that the company hopes finds by other players could also be tied into the Norne field.
Statoil’s Skuld, Alve and Urd satellite discoveries, as well as Eni’s Marulk, are already producing as subsea tiebacks to the FPSO with a further find, Svale Nord, also being matured as a tie-in candidate.
Statoil holds a 39.1% operating stake in Norne, underpinned by production licences 128 and 128B, with state holding company Petoro on 54% and Italy’s Eni on 6.9%.