Alcatel Grabs Johan Sverdrup Improved Recovery Deal from Statoil

Statoil has awarded a contract to Alcatel Submarine Networks for permanent reservoir monitoring (PRM) on the Johan Sverdrup field, offshore Norway.  

The seismic technology will be a key contributor to delivering on Johan Sverdrup’s 70 percent recovery ambition.

“Johan Sverdrup will make up a significant part of Norwegian oil production going forward and has a lifespan of over 50 years, so it is important that we work systematically to maximize value and ensure as high a recovery factor as possible from the field. PRM plays an important role in this, and will be a key tool in realizing the 70% recovery ambition on Johan Sverdrup,” said Kjetel Digre, project director for Johan Sverdrup.

With 380 kilometers of fiber optic seismic cables installed on the seabed and more than 6500 acoustic sensors covering an area of more than 120 square kilometers, Johan Sverdrup will have one of the largest fiber optic seismic systems of its kind, Statoil said.

The seismic cables will be installed on the seabed of Johan Sverdrup during 2019.

The PRM system on Johan Sverdrup will use optical fiber technology which allows for continuous recording of changes in the subsurface.

“We see great potential with PRM on Johan Sverdrup in terms of improved visualization, modelling and eventually also predictive analytics,” said Eli Eikje, head of Petroleum technology for Johan Sverdrup. “This should give us improved precision in our well locations, help us better control production and injection, but should also contribute with information about the condition of wells and subsea infrastructure – which is critical for a field with a 50-year lifespan.”

The frame agreement with Alcatel Submarine Networks also includes opportunities for future collaboration around technology development and solutions to further maximize the potential from the PRM system.

The frame agreement also includes an option to extend seismic coverage to include the southernmost part of the Johan Sverdrup field.