Norway: NPD Announces Production Figures for July 2010

The average daily production in July 2010 was about 2 117 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate. This is 245 000 barrels more than in June 2010.

Gas production was about 7.6 billion Sm 3 , which is 0.9 billion Sm 3 less than in June.

The liquid production in July was: 1 800 000 barrels of oil, 253 000 barrels of NGL and 64 000 barrels of condensate.

Production from the Vale field was closed due to technical problems and production from Gullfaks C and Tordis was closed periodically due to well problems.

So far this year the average daily production has been about 1.8 million barrels of oil and the total liquid production about 2.2 million barrels. Total production so far is about 138.4 million Sm3 o.e.: Oil about 62.3 million Sm3 o.e., NGL and condensate about 11.8 million Sm3 o.e. and gas about 64.4 million Sm3 o.e.. This is 2.9 million Sm3 o.e. less than in the same period in 2009.

So far in 2010 we are still producing more liquid than gas, but if you include NGL (which comes from gas production), more than half of the production measured in oil equivalents now gas.

Preliminary production figures from August 2010 show an average daily production of about 1.619 million barrels of oil, 0.204 million barrels of NGL and condensate and a total of 6.0 billion Sm3 net gas production.

Production from several fields was closed periodically during August due to planned maintenance.

Final figures for July will be available during October 2010.

About NPD

he Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD)

* is a governmental specialist directorate and administrative body

* was established in 1972

* reports to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE)

* is headquartered in Stavanger and has an office in Harstad

* has a staff of a little over 200

The paramount objective of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate is to contribute to creating the greatest possible values for society from the oil and gas activities by means of prudent resource management based on safety, emergency preparedness and safeguarding of the external environment.

In order to make the most efficient contribution to this, the NPD must perform four functions:

* The NPD is to be an adviser to the MPE through its professional integrity and interdisciplinary expertise.

* The NPD has a national responsibility for data from the Norwegian continental shelf. The NPD’s data, overview and analyses constitute a crucial factual basis on which the activities are founded.

* The NPD shall be a driving force for realising the resource potential by emphasising long-term solutions, upside opportunities, economies of scale and joint operations, as well as ensuring that time-critical resources are not lost.

* In cooperation with other authorities, the NPD is to ensure comprehensive follow-up of the petroleum activities.

The NPD sets frameworks, stipulates regulations and makes decisions in areas where it has been delegated authority.

The NPD is responsible for conducting metering audits and collecting fees from the petroleum industry. Together with the MPE, the NPD is responsible for the security of supplies.

In addition, the NPD contributes administrative competence, mapping of resources and petroleum data administration for the development aid programme “Oil for Development”.

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Source: PTIL, September 10, 2010: