Norway: Statoil Contracts Aibel to Demolish All Cabins at Oseberg Field Centre

The original order from Statoil was for 175 new cabins at Oseberg field centre. Last week the assignment was extended. Now Aibel is to demolish all the cabins and build again from scratch.

“We are demolishing floors, walls, ceiling plates, pipes and the electrics. Everything is going. There will be practically nothing that isn’t new by the time we have finished,” says Eirik Bækkevold, project manager at Aibel AS.

The assignment comes through the framework agreement that Aibel has with Statoil for maintenance and modifications at Oseberg. “We estimate the cost of this upgrade at almost NOK 500 million,” Bækkevold says.

The cabins at Oseberg field centre first came into use in 1987. According to the project manager a complete upgrade was needed.

Over 350 tons of waste

“The original order was to upgrade 175 cabins, but then Statoil had the agreement for lease of a flotel extended from October to January. That means we will be able to take all 319 cabins,” says Bækkevold.

He adds that Aibel is also renovating the kitchen at the field centre. The kitchen will be closed for four months while the renovations are done.

“In all, more than 350 tons of waste must be cleared from the platforms and more than 430 tons of new equipment installed,” explains the project manager.

Work started in the field at the beginning of May. So far, six floors have been demolished and the rebuilding of the first floor has started.

‘A demanding assignment’

Storage space at Oseberg is limited and Bækkevold says that the logistics are difficult. ‘There is no doubt, this is a demanding assignment,’ he says.

It is Aibel’s Bergen office that is managing this project. Almost all the engineering work is being carried out by Aibel in Singapore.

In addition to the 60 people working on the project in Bergen and Singapore, there are at the most about 110 employees working at the field centre.

“According to plan, we shall hand over the last cabin to Statoil on 31 December. Those who work out on Oseberg can look forward to having fine new cabins, while the night shift will no longer have to share double cabins with the day shift,” concludes Bækkevold.

[mappress]
Source: Aibel, July 15, 2011; Image: Statoil;