Neptune Energy said Friday it had started production from the Fenja oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea. Neptune operates the offshore field, with its partners being Vår Energi, Sval Energi and DNO.
Fenja is expected to produce 35,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd, gross), via two oil producers, with pressure support from one water injector and one gas injector.
The development consists of two subsea templates tied back to the Equinor-operated Njord A platform.
A 36 km electrically trace-heated (ETH) pipe-in-pipe solution transports oil from the Fenja field to the platform for processing and transport.
Due to the high wax content of the Fenja field’s oil, the contents of the pipeline must be warmed up to a temperature above 28 degrees Celsius before starting the flow after a shutdown, Neptune explained.
During normal production, the temperature in the pipeline is well above this temperature. The tie-back to Njord A is the world’s longest ETH subsea production pipeline, the company said.
Neptune’s Projects and Engineering Director in Norway, Erik Oppedal, added: “The ETH pipeline represents an important technological step, made possible through excellent collaboration between TechnipFMC and Neptune Energy. It could also unlock opportunities to develop future tieback developments.”
Odin Estensen, Neptune Energy’s Managing Director in Norway and the UK, said: “The Fenja development is an excellent example of how our industry uses innovative technologies to overcome challenges. The ETH pipe-in-pipe solution is crucial for transporting the oil, and is a creative, cost-effective approach that enables the field to be tied back to existing infrastructure.
“Fenja is also located in a strategically important growth area for Neptune Energy, with a number of other interesting prospects nearby.”
Total reserves are estimated between 50 and 75 million boe, of which 75% is oil and 25% is gas. Fenja is located 120 km north of Kristiansund at a water depth of 325 meters.