Aibel to modify Snorre A platform as part of expansion project

Norwegian oil company Statoil has awarded Aibel a contract for the implementation of extensive modifications to the Snorre A platform as a part of Statoil’s Snorre expansion project. 

The plan for the expansion project, which will extend the field life by 25 more years, was launched on Thursday.

Under the contract, Aibel will have an overall responsibility for engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning of the project, the company said on Thursday.

The contract is valued at approx. NOK 1.6 billion ($190.3M), and will continue until the autumn of 2021. Engineering starts immediately, and will at its peak involve around 160 engineers based at the headquarters in Stavanger, where Aibel recently concluded the FEED study for the modification contract.

CEO and President of Aibel, Mads Andersen, said: “In this project we will employ Aibel’s broad expertise in the entire value chain, from initial studies to finished project. It is also confirmation that the study team has carried out thorough preparations and developed a competitive concept. This provides an excellent basis for the actual execution.”

Among other things, the modifications include removal of excess weight and equipment from the Snorre A platform. Thus the initial activity offshore will start as early as January 2018 in parallel with starting in Stavanger.

The contract also comprises the installation of a new 650 ton support module for risers. This module will be built at Aibel’s yard in Haugesund. The start of prefabrication is planned for January 2019, while the actual installation of the module is scheduled for the spring of 2020. Around 70 to 100 people will be involved in fabrication work in Haugesund.

Statoil on Thursday also awarded contracts to Subsea 7 and TechnipFMC for the Snorre expansion project.