Nitrogen oxide emissions from Statoil's Norne production ship in the Norwegian Sea have been cut by almost 90 per cent.
This follows the installation of two low nitrogen oxide turbines on the vessel. The big reduction is achieved by comparison with conventional gas turbines used off Norway.
Norne is the first Norwegian offshore field to adopt the new burner technology, which provides more efficient combustion of air and natural gas.
The turbines on the ship drive compressors for gas export or injection into the reservoir. Gas produced from the field is currently being returned underground, but a gas line is due to be laid in 2000 from Norne to Statoil's Åsgard development.
"We've had a conventional gas turbine in reserve during the test period, which began in February," reports staff engineer Kjell J Johansen in the Norne facilities engineering department. "From now on, however, we're sticking with low nitrogen oxide turbines on this field."
Statoil is planning to adopt this type of turbine technology on Åsgard and its Gullfaks satellites project in the North Sea.