Statoil's Njord A semisubmersible production platform has been towed to the Kværner Stord yard in Norway for reinforcement and renovation works, which will enable it to return to production up to and beyond 2030.
The facility, which was built at the same yard in 1997, then called Aker Stord, had only expected to produce from the Njord field until 2013. In 2012, concerns were raised about the strength of the facility and measures to mitigate its weaknesses, to allow production to continue, were taken, including removing equipment, adding reinforcement and reducing the operating window.
However, while the field had been due to cease production in 2013, Statoil says it has been able to increase recovery rates on the field and still sees the potential to produce some 177 MMboe from the Njord and Hyme fields, as well as 66 MMbbl, which can be tied in from the nearby Snilehorn discovery. A newbuild FPSO was considered, but instead Statoil opted for the Njord Future project, under which the Njord A facility is being renovated and also be prepared to receive other third-party fields.
A total of 167 MMbo and 41 Bcm of gas have been produced from 54 wells at Njord, since the start-up almost 20 years ago. The field was discovered in 1986, in 330m water depth, in the Norwegian Sea, 130km northwest of Kristiansund and 30mk west of the Draugen field.
“We have been able to recover more of the reserves than originally expected, and following new discoveries and the Snilehorn development, field production will continue for at least 10 more years. This is a big and important project and Statoil is working closely with the partners and suppliers to succeed,” says Snorre Grande, project director for the Njord Future project.
Preparation work for the tow-away from the field started in March. Production on Njord and Hyme was then shut down in June and wells, etc., secured ahead of the towaway.
In addition to work on the Njord A facility, Statoil is assessing the Njord Bravo storage vessel, which arrived at Umoe Sterkoder, Norway, in July. A decision will be made this year whether it is possible to extend the life of the storage vessel or we need to construct a new vessel, says Statoil.
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Image: Njord A under tow. Photo by Thomas Sola/Statoil.
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