Partners in the Tune gas development project in the North Sea have decided to lay new pipelines from the field to the Oseberg Center.
The pipeline work is set for completion this autumn. Tune field operator Hydro will ensure the field starts production in October 2002.
Tune's license holders have agreed to lay new carbon steel pipelines to replace two original pipelines made of 13 percent chrome content. A series of leaks were discovered in the original system, installed between Tune and Oseberg in 2001. Carbon steel is the traditional material used for building subsea pipelines.
"In respect to safety, production regularity and cost, we've decided to lay the new pipelines instead of doing continued repair work," says Rune Rønvik, acting Tune project manager for Hydro.
The original pipelines were selected for environmental reasons and to attain a lifetime that would accomodate additional reserves after the Tune field is fully produced.
The new carbon steel pipelines are already built and scheduled for installation in September.
Some 10 kilometers south-west of Oseberg, the Tune field is a subsea installation tied into the Oseberg Field Center with two pipelines. Tune's total recoverable reserves are 27 billion cubic meters of gas and seven million cubic meters condensate.
Tune field partners are operator Hydro with 40 percent, Petoro at 40 percent and TotalFinaElf with 20 percent.