OREANDA-NEWS. Statoil, with its partners Eni and Petoro, has started production from the Skuld field at Norne in the Norwegian Sea. Skuld is so far the quickest realised of Statoil's 12 fast-track development projects, measured from discovery to production.
Skuld consists of the two discoveries Fossekall and Dompap. The recoverable reserves in Skuld have been calculated to 90 mbbls of oil equivalents. About 90 per cent of this is oil, and the rest is gas. 

Skuld is the largest of the development fields in the fast-track portfolio.

It will make up more than half of Statoil's increased production from fields where the company is the operator on the Norwegian shelf in 2013. The field is connected to the production vessel Norne, which is also producing for the Norne, Urd, Alve and Marulk fields.

This will result in higher production for the northernmost operational area in Statoil, Operations North.
"Skuld's size makes it stand out in the fast-track portfolio. It could easily have been developed as a stand-alone field. We chose this solution as we saw the opportunity to use the technology and expertise intended for rapid developments, and because we could connect to the existing infrastructure on Norne. This has made it possible to complete the project three years after discovery," says Anita Andersen Stenhaug, vice president  for the Norne field.

High activity levels

According to Roger Lynum, asset owner representative for Skuld, the tempo has been incredible in the project, with difficult deadlines for suppliers and six installation vessels working in parallel out on the field.

This has been carried out with the same requirements to health, environment and safety as for other projects. 
"The rapid execution as made possible by close cooperation between licensees, authorities and the supplier industry.  I would like to use this opportunity to praise our partners for the success we have achieved here," says Lynum.

The main contractors for the Skuld development have been Aker Solutions, Subsea 7, Aibel, National Oilwell and Sumitomo.

Increased life for Norne

"Skuld will have a very positive impact on Norne's lifetime, which was estimated to 2021 without this addition. We are envisioning production until 2030 at least, and there are opportunities for new activities involving exploration and further development in the Norne area. With the technological development projects we now have underway, we are envisioning opportunities for increased recovery from existing fields," says Stenhaug.

The average increase in daily production from Skuld over the next two years will be half of what is currently produced to Norne.

The field amounts to 45 per cent of the added production from fast-track projects in 2013.
The total investments have been estimated at about NOK 10 billion. The project organisation is mainly located in Harstad and Oslo.

"The most complex ever"

This is the sixth project completed with the Norne vessel from 2003 and until today.The Urd, Norne K, Alve, Norne M and Marulk fields have already been tied in.

"We have now succeeded in delivering another fast-track project more or less as planned, on budget and with good quality. This has been it most complex fast-track project, connecting two fields with a shared development solution. The project has completed more than 500 vessel days without any serious incidents, which has been a precondition for the success we have achieved. In addition, we have carried out a demanding modification project in relation to the Norne vessel," says Kjetel R. Digre, director of the fast-track and subsea project portfolio in Technology, projects and drilling (TPD).

Following restart, considerable work will remain on the deck. This will be carried out and completed in 2015.