There now remain four potential landfall locations for the gas from the major Ormen Lange field off the coast of Møre and Romsdal.
Studies of the Ormen Lange gas field are well under way, with the plan for development and operation scheduled to be submitted in the third quarter of 2003 and gas production estimated to start up in 2007. Hydro is the operator responsible for planning and development, while Norske Shell will assume operatorship with responsibility for the production phase.
Two main alternatives for the development of Ormen Lange are under consideration. The first involves the offshore installation of a large deep-water platform for complete processing of the gas so that it can be exported directly southwards off the coastline. The second alternative consists of the development of a subsea installation, possibly combined with a smaller platform, along with an onshore processing plant situated on the Møre coast from where the gas would be exported.
In connection with various alternatives for the onshore processing plant, a selection process has been undertaken during the past year to find the most suitable location for a plant that can also take gas from other fields for processing. Since December last year, seven locations in five municipalities in Møre og Romsdal have been considered. Of these, four have now been chosen for further studies and closer assessment:
- Tjeldbergodden in Aure
- Stavnes in Averøy
- Nyhamn/Gossen in Aukra
- Skår/Baraldsnes in Haram
One of these four locations will during the first quarter of next year be selected as the landfall of the onshore alternative. The owners will reach their final decision regarding the two alternative development options at the turn of the year 2002/2003.
The Ormen Lange owner companies are Norsk Hydro Produksjon a.s, A/S Norske Shell, Esso Norge AS, BPAmoco Norge AS, Statoil og Petoro.