Capacity at the Kårstø gas processing complex north of Stavanger is set to be expanded by more than 40 per cent above the present level in 2005.
The Gassled partnership, which owns the facility, plans to invest NOK 5.74 billion to accept and process gas from Statoil’s Kristin development and other Norwegian Sea fields.
Rich gas from these projects will be piped through the Åsgard Transport trunkline, which currently delivers supplies from Statoil’s Åsgard field to Kårstø.
Project work for the Kårstø expansion project (KEP) 2005 is well under way, with construction set to start in early summer and completion scheduled by 1 October 2005.
This development will expand daily gas processing capacity at the complex from today’s 61 million cubic metres to 88 million cubic metres.
“That will strengthen Kårstø’s position as Europe’s most important gas processing facility,” says Leidulf Ramstad, senior vice president for processing and transport in Natural Gas.
“It will also boost the competitiveness of the complex when a route from field to market is being sought for additional volumes of rich gas.”
A special development project at Kårstø for processing gas from Statoil’s Mikkel field in the Norwegian Sea is due to be completed by 1 October.
The complex ranks today as Europe’s biggest export facility for liquefied petroleum gases – propane and butane – and the third largest in the world.
In addition, more than a third of all Norwegian sales (lean) gas passes through it. Ethane, naphtha and stabilised condensate are also produced.
Gassco is operator for the Kårstø complex, with Statoil as its technical services provider and contractor responsible for executing the development work.