DEA's Dvalin PDO approved

German operator DEA has gained approval from Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy for the US$1.2 billion (NOK 10 billion) Dvalin development plan in the Norwegian Sea, with production set for 2020.

Illustration of Dvalin, from DEA.

The Dvalin field is in PL435, Blocks 6507/7/9 and 6507/8 in the Norwegian Sea, about 15km northwest of Heidrun and 290km from Nyhamna in Mid-Norway. Recoverable resources are estimated to be some 18.2 Bcm of natural gas from two reservoirs.

Dvalin will be developed with a four wells subsea template, tied back to the Heidrun platform. At Heidrun, the gas will be partly processed in a new module, before the gas is transported via the new Polarled pipeline, going to the Nyhamna onshore gas terminal.

According to DEA, the plan for development and operation (PDO) was the largest PDO handed over to the Ministry in 2016.

“This approval is a major milestone for the Dvalin project, and we are committed to develop the project and start production in 2020,” says Hans-Hermann Andreae, managing director of DEA Norge.

Andreae says that Dvalin will create jobs in Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Rogaland and Oslo/Akershus.

“We are proud of leading a project that has widespread ripple effects. In addition, the development contributes significantly to DEA’s ambition to further grow our business in Norway,” says Andreae.

Just after the PDO was handed over in October 2016, major contracts were awarded to Aibel, Aker Solutions and Technip Norge.

Currently, DEA says that engineering and detailed planning are carried out. Production of the new modules to be placed at the Heidrun platform and the subsea production systems is expected to start later this year.

DEA Norge is operator of license PL435 with a 55% stake. Partners are Petoro (35%) and Edison (10%).