The Statoil-operated, NOK 22.6 billion Valemon high-pressure, high-temperature, gas and condensate development in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea started first production yesterday (3 January).
The Valemon field, containing an estimated 192 MMboe recoverable reserves, is being produced by what will become Statoil's first platform remotely controlled from shore, turning into a "normally unmanned platform" when drilling the 10 production wells on the field is completed in 2017.
Image: The Valemon platform. Photo from Statoil.
Condensate from Valemon will be piped to Kvitebjørn for processing, and from there to Mongstad, whereas the gas will be sent to Heimdal for processing, and then transported to the market.
Heimdal had been due to be shutdown in 2014, but due to Valemon, it's life will be extended as a gas hub.
“By using the existing facilities at Kvitebjørn and Heimdal, as well as the existing pipelines, we have also reduced the costs of developing the Valemon field,” says Arne Sigve Nylund, executive vice president for Development and Production Norway.
The Valemon topside was built in South Korea. The topsides EPC contract (engineering, procurement and construction) was a first for Statoil in Asia. Some 80 of the 120 mechanical equipment packages on the platform were delivered by Norwegian suppliers.
The platform has 40 cabins, but during normal operations there will be some 17 people on board. In the longer term the platform will normally be unmanned. The steel jacket and living quarters were built at two yards in the Netherlands.
Valemon is the second Statoil-operated platform to be put into production in the last nine months and also the first new platformto be operated from Bergen since Kvitebjørn came on stream 10 years ago.
Statoil operates Valemon, with 53.77% interest, with partners Petoro (30 %), Centrica Resources (13%), and Norske Shell (3.23%).
Subscribe
