A second mobile unit for testing gas-fuelled turbines and engines is to be built by Statoil and Sweden's Aga to meet big demand.
Due to run on liquefied natural gas from the liquefaction plant at Statoil's Tjeldbergodden complex in mid-Norway, this facility will be used to test equipment for a number of planned projects.
Capacity is being increased by 20 per cent compared with the first plant, which stands at Aker Stord near Bergen. That will allow the new unit to test larger gas turbines.
Also dimensioned for higher pressure, the second test facility is to be placed at the Kværner Rosenberg yard in Stavanger. Plans call for it to be fully tested and ready for use in the first week of next year.
It will start by testing the generator and compressor set for Statoil's Åsgard B gas platform, which is scheduled to begin operation on the Norwegian Sea field in the second half of 2000.
The first unit at Aker Stord initially tested and commissioned gas turbines for Åsgard A before this oil production ship left the yard. It has since been used for Statoil's Statfjord C water injection project.
On 1 April, it is due to start three months of testing with a water injection module for the Eldfisk platform operated by Phillips Petroleum in the North Sea.
Statoil collaborates with Aga in the Tjeldbergodden Luftgassfabrikk, which produces air gases and also owns both the test units. Turbine supplier Dresser-Rand has operated the Aker Stord device to test its own products.
The Statoil Norge retailing arm is responsible for delivering the LNG by road tanker.
"Our decision to build another unit reflects increased demand for this type of facility and the fact that several projects have testing requirements simultaneously," explains Roger Strøm, vice president for industrial use of gas in Industrial Development.
"These test plants open new marker opportunities for LNG, and have proved to be a good investment.
"They make it possible to cut the cost of testing and maintaining gas turbines and engines. Testing such devices on land is an advantage, because offshore work is more expensive."