Det norske ramps up on Alvheim

Det norske is ramping up activity and production on its Alvheim floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) development in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. 

The FPSO (pictured), which produces Alvheim field (comprising the Kneler, Boa and Kameleon discoveries) and three other fields, saw its latest subsea tieback from the Bøyla field come on stream on Saturday. Then on Wednesday, the Boa extension manifold, part of an improved oil recovery project on Alvheim, was installed on the seabed. Three new Alvheim wells are due to be drilled on Alvheim through the Boa manifold; East Kameleon, Kneler and Boa Kam North. Production start up is scheduled for 2Q 2016. 

Det norske has also decided to develop Viper and Kobra discoveries, also part of Alvheim, with two wells during 2016. Both wells will be tied in with a new template to the infrastructure on the Volund field - one of the three fields produced by the Alvheim FPSO in addition to the Alvheim field. The subsea infrastructure installation will be carried out by Subsea 7. 

Alvheim came on stream in 2008 in 120-130m water depth. Kameleon was discovered in 1998, followed by Boa and Kneler in 2003, Viper in 2009. Viper was discovered in 1997. Oil is transported from the field by shuttle tanker and associated gas is exported through the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation system to St. Fergus, Scotland.

Det Norske's second production well on the Bøyla field 28km-long subsea tieback to the Alvheim FPSO flowed at 18,000 b/d, the firm says.

Together with the first Bøyla production well, which was started in January, Bøyla will produce about 20,000 b/d. Both wells are horizontal production wells with a water injection well drilled using the Transocean Winner.