Gas lift project in North Sea coming on stream soon

Norwegian authorities have given Equinor consent to use new facilities linked to its gas lift project at a field in the North Sea off Norway. The start-up of this project is expected to be soon.  

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) revealed on Monday, 21 August 2023, that the licensees in the Statfjord Øst field had received consent to use new facilities linked to the gas lift project on the field, which is due to come online shortly.

This project mainly consists of a new gas lift pipeline from the Statfjord C platform and out to the existing subsea templates, and re-drilling of wells to new locations, complete with gas lift. Equinor, as the operator of production licences 037 and 089, estimates that the project will increase recoverable resources by 3.1 million standard cubic metres (Sm³) of oil and 0.8 billion Sm³ of gas.

Located in the Tampen area in the North Sea, seven kilometres northeast of the Statfjord field, the Statfjord Øst field lies in a water depth of 150-190 metres. It was discovered in 1976 and the plan for development and operation was approved in 1990.

The field has been developed with two subsea production templates and one water injection template tied back to the Statfjord C platform. In addition, two production wells have been drilled from Statfjord C. The production from the field started in 1994.

Furthermore, the total investments for the gas lift project on Statfjord Øst are estimated at 3,7 billion 2020-kroner. Petoro, Vår Energi, Inpex Idemitsu and Wintershall are partners in the production licences. Since the gas lift project entails a significant change to the field development plan, this has also been processed and approved by the authorities.

Inger Ubbe, Assistant Director for Licence Management (acting), commented: “The NPD regards the gas lift project on Statfjord Øst as an important project to improve recovery and value creation from the field. The project will contribute to good resource management and an extended lifetime towards 2040.”

The Statfjord field is located in the Tampen area in the northern part of the North Sea on the border between the Norwegian and British sectors. The Norwegian share of the field is 85.47 per cent and the water depth at the site is 150 metres. Discovered in 1974, the Statfjord field has been developed with three production platforms: Statfjord A, Statfjord B, and Statfjord C. This last platform came into production in 1985.

According to Equinor, Statfjord Nord, Statfjord Øst and Sygna are three satellite fields tied back to the Statfjord C platform and the Statfjord Øst field is equally split between production licences 037 in block 33/9 – Statfjord area – and 089 in block 34/7 (Snorre area).