New technology has allowed Statoil to boost gas exports from its Kollsnes treatment plant near Bergen while reducing power consumption.
Following a recent refurbishment of the export compressors, their daily capacity has increased from 100 million cubic metres to 125 million.
At the same time, annual electricity costs could be reduced by roughly NOK 20 million, reports technical manager Peder Rune Lie.
Dresser-Rand has developed and delivered the new Datum technology, which is more modern and cost-effective than the solution in place when the plant started up in 1996.
Replacing the innards of the five compressors has cost roughly NOK 50 million.
On full load, these units require some 125-130 megawatts to drive gas to continental Europe through Zeepipe IIA and IIB. This electricity is taken from the ordinary power grid.