Norway: New Oil Spill Contingency Equipment to Protect Finnmark Coast

The oil industry has signed contracts with three suppliers for the purchase of new oil spill contingency equipment to protect the coast of Finnmark. 75 per cent of these investments will go to companies from northern Norway. The equipment will be located in depots to be established in Hasvik and Måsøy.

The oil industry’s oil spill contingency project in Finnmark is linked in particular to the Goliat field development in the Barents Sea, and will help towards strengthening oil spill contingency strategies in the area. The equipment now on order will be used primarily during coastal and shoreline contingency responses. In total, the contracts with the companies Allmaritim/NOFI, Markleen and Norlense amount to NOK 25 million. Procurement of the equipment is being paid for by the Goliat licence.

75 per cent of this investment is going to NOFI in Tromsø and Norlense in Vesterålen. These two northern Norwegian companies have extensive experience and supply world-class equipment.

Two depots

The new oil spill contingency equipment will be located at newly-established depots in Hasvik and Måsøy, and will supplement the equipment NOFO already has in readiness at its base in Hammerfest.

Goliat is the first oil field in the Barents Sea, and is scheduled to begin production during the fourth quarter of 2013.

Oil Spill Contingency measures are now being reinforced to coincide with the start of oil production in the area. At the same time, these resources will contribute towards boosting overall oil spill contingency strategies along the Finnmark coast.

About NOFO

NOFO develops and is responsible for oil spill contingency strategies implemented on the Norwegian shelf, aimed at combating oil pollution. It operates on behalf of 29 operating companies. The strategies embrace contingency measures in the open ocean, coastal waters and along the shoreline. NOFO has access to considerable contingency resources which can be mobilised and deployed in all areas of the Norwegian shelf. These include:

* 25 oil spill contingency vessels and 25 tugs

* 20 sea-going oil booms with oil recovery systems

* Monitoring of the shelf from radar satellites, planes, helicopters, vessels and installations

* Oil spill contingency equipment for coastal operations including access to fishing vessels

About GOLIAT:

The Goliat field is located in Production Licence 229 (PL229) which was awarded as part of the “Barents Sea Round” in 1997. The Goliat field is being developed using a floating production platform. The partners in the Goliat field are the operator Eni Norge AS (65 %) and Statoil Petroleum AS (35 %). Goliat is the first oil field to be developed in the Barents Sea.

[mappress]

Source:Eni Norge,March 30, 2011;