Opportunities for developing the Svale and Stær fields in the Norwegian Sea are being examined by Statoil. The operator is considering submitting a plan for development and operation (PDO) to the Norwegian authorities in May this year.
The Stær and Svale deposits are five and 10 kilometres north of the Norne ship respectively. The proposal entails using three templates - two on Svale and one on Stær - with a total of eight wells tied back to the vessel. Plans call for the templates to be in place as early as September.
Statoil is looking into the possibility for developing the Svale and Stær fields in the Norwegian Sea.
Oil production on the Norne field is declining, and phasing in the satellites will positively utilise available capacity on the production ship.
Investments are estimated at roughly NOK 3.5 billion.
The concept under consideration would only require minor modifications of the Norne ship.
Project manager Kjetel Digre emphasises that the Stær and Svale projects have marginal profitability.
Drilling is due to begin in October 2004, with production start-up in the autumn of 2005.
Oil production is expected to be almost 70,000 barrels per day. The prospects contain relatively small amounts of gas.
The planned facilities on the Norne ship would allow more wells to be phased in.
Statoil has also found oil in the Falk and Lerke structures in the same area and the nearby Linerle structure is due to be drilled later this year.
In addition to Statoil with 40.5 per cent, the licensees in Stær and Svale are Petoro with 24.5 per cent, Hydro with 13.5 per cent, Eni with 11.5 per cent and Shell/Enterprise with 10 per cent.