WATCH: ‘Vital’ piece starts 670-km trip to Aker BP’s North Sea field

A “key” piece of equipment has embarked on a journey from a shipyard in Norway to a North Sea field operated by the Norwegian oil and gas player Aker BP.

According to Aker BP, an important milestone for the Valhall PWP-Fenris project was marked with the 180-meter-long towed spool setting sail from Westcon’s yard in Florø to the Valhall field located in the southern part of the Norwegian sector in the North Sea for installation. Subsea7 and Subsea Alliance provided support in the process.

The spool will connect the Valhall PWP to the existing gas export line in the area, forming part of the Norpipe gas pipeline system going from the Ekofisk field via Valhall to Germany. It is described as a vital part of the gas export from the Fenris development.

“The spool will be towed with a submerged suspension configuration 50 meters below the surface to the Valhall field 670 kilometers away, where it will be installed on the seabed,” said Ruth Herikstad, Project Engineering Manager at Subsea Alliance.

Two tugs, a guard vessel, a work vessel, and a semi-submersible barge acting as a ramp for the spool launch were used in the process.

Spool sets sail for Valhall PWP-Fenris project

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Greenlighted in June 2023, the Valhall PWP-Fenris development entered its construction stage in September 2023. The development includes a new production and wellhead platform linked to the Valhall field center by a bridge and an unstaffed installation at the Fenris field that will be tied back to Valhall via pipelines on the seabed. The production is anticipated to start in Q3 2027

Aker BP has chosen Pandion Energy as its partner on the Valhall field and PGNiG Upstream Norway on Fenris, situated 50 kilometers away. The Valhall PWP-Fenris development will use the existing power from the shore system, and new reserves from the development project are estimated at 230 million barrels of oil equivalent. The project also aims to extend the operation of Valhall, which has been producing since 1982, beyond 2028.

In August 2024, the first of five bridge sections for the new Valhall PWP platform, which will be 101 meters long and weigh almost 1,200 tons, was completed at Nymo’s Eydehavn shipyard. It was said to be the largest construction project ever at the shipyard.