Statoil has been given the green light to use the Gullfaks B platform in the Norwegian North Sea until 2036.
Statoil says Gullfaks B, which first came on stream in February 1988, could be operated profitably up to 2031, and possibly even longer with further maturation of increased oil recovery projects and other measures.
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), which approved Statoil's request to operate the platform up to 2036, says it believes that further operation of Gullfaks B is needed in order to recover the remaining resources in the Gullfaks field. The drilling rig has recently been upgraded and new wells are now being drilled from the facility.
"A major effort has been made in recent years to recover oil from the Shetland/Lista reservoirs over Gullfaks," says the NPD. "Gullfaks B could also be a relevant host platform for new deposits in the area."
Block 34/10, containing Gullfaks, was nicknamed the Golden Block when it was awarded to Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Saga Petroleum in 1978, with Statoil as the operator. The Gullfaks area has met all expectations, and has created very significant values for the greater society throughout thirty years of production, says the NPD.
The current licensees on the field are Statoil, Petoro and OMV Norge. Final consent to the lifetime extension is contingent on approval from the Petroleum Safety Authority.