Statoil has outlined investment it is making to extend the life of its Gullfaks field out to 2040, including installing new loading buoys on the field.
Statoil says 2.55 billion bo from the Gullfaks field have passed through the existing loading buoys since first oil in 1986.
The first new loading buoy is due to come on line this month, with the second new buoy is scheduled to come on line mid-September. The two buoys have the same capacity as the previous buoys.
Statoil says the new loading buoys will reduce the need for logistics and helicopter transportation in connection with maintenance. Coordination and synergies with the Statfjord field related to operations, maintenance and spares will also be facilitated.
The loading system is of the same type as that installed at Statfjord and is a simpler system than the existing Gullfaks system.
The old 6000-tonne loading buoys will be towed to Stord for demolition at Scanmet, where about 98% of the material is due to be recycled.
Located in 136m water depth, the loading buoys are 2.4km north-west and 2.4km outh-east of Gullfaks A.
Technip Norge has been responsible for engineering work, preparations, the removal of the existing loading buoys, towing and hand-over to the disassembly and demolition supplier – in addition to installing the new loading systems.
The new loading systems are delivered by National Oilwell Varco in Arendal. They are owned by the Gullfaks licensees. Statoil is the operator with a 51% interest. Petoro and OMV have the remaining interests of 30% and 19%, respectively.
Øystein Arvid Håland, asset manager, Development and Production Norway, says: “This is an important value enhancement project for the Gullfaks field. Gullfaks needs to have reliable loading systems for crude oil export in the future. The two existing loading systems and loading buoys installed in 1986 and 1987 are approaching the expected design life of 30 years.”
Subscribe
