Maersk Drilling's Maersk Interceptor harsh environment jackup drilling rig has started production well drilling on Det norske oljeselskap's Ivar Aasen development in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.
The drilling campaign will last three three years and comprises 15 wells (eight production and seven water injection), in addition to three pilot wells.
The three pilot wells will be drilled first to further map the subsurface around Ivar Aasen, which straddles production licenses 001B, 028B, 242, 338 and 457, west of the Johan Sverdrup field.
Ivar Aasen comprises three deposits - Ivar Aasen, West Cable and Hanz - and contains 210 MMboe. Production start-up is planned for Q4 2016.
Ivar Aasen will be a phased development, whereby Ivar Aasen and West Cable are developed in phase 1, using a manned production platform, and Hanz in phase 2, via a subsea development tied back to the Ivar Aasen platform.
The development will be coordinated with the adjacent Edvard Grieg field development, which will receive partially processed oil and gas from the Aasen field for further processing and export. The Edvard Grieg platform will also provide the Ivar Aasen platform with gas lift and electricity. The Aasen platform is electrified from the start-up.
In the first week of November 2013, the first steel was cut for the project at SMOE’s yard in Batam in Indonesia, and at Saipem’s yard in Arbatax, Sardinia, where the 138m-tall, 14,400-tonne steel jacket (including piles) is being constructed. At the same time, the work on the 13,700-tonne platform deck started at SMOE's yard in Singapore.
The living quarters are being built by Apply Leirvik at Stord, Norway.
The Maersk Interceptor is the world’s largest jackup rig and is operating for Det norske under a five-year contract, with an option of additional two years.
Det norske oljeselskap ASA is the operator for the Ivar Aasen development, holding a 34.7862 per cent interest in the field. Partners are Statoil, Bayerngas, Wintershall, VNG, Lundin and OMV.
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