Kristin pieces falling into place

The work of mating the main topsides with the substructure for Statoil’s semi-submersible Kristin platform began at the Aker Stord yard south of Bergen today, 30 August.

Extensive welding will now be required to attach these two components securely together, with each of the four support columns measuring 18 by 18 metres.

This job is due to be completed on 17 September, reports Bård Heimset, project director responsible for the Kristin field development in the Norwegian Sea.

However, he is hopeful that the operation can be finished rather more quickly than originally scheduled.

No less than 19,000 tonnes of modules are today being installed on the Kristin hull, after first being transferred to a barge which was towed from the dock to the 14,500-tonne substructure.

The latter has been moored off the yard since its arrival at Aker Stord in late July after being shipped halfway around the world from South Korea’s Samsung yard.

During August, the final pieces in the Kristin jigsaw were put in place. The heaviest modules are the process and utility packages put together at Aker Stord.

In addition come the flare boom and riser balcony manufactured at Dragados in Spain, and the living quarters with helideck from Sweden’s Emtunga.

As part of the preparations for the mating project, the topsides have been readied and weighing carried out.

“Work at Stord is going well and is on schedule,” says Mr Heimset. “The quality is good. We now have a good overview of the remaining jobs, which have been planned in detail.

“We’re confident of being ready for tow-out to the field on 25 March next year, as scheduled.”

Aker Kvaerner and Statoil have cooperated closely on many major Norwegian offshore projects over the past 20 years, notes Simen Lieungh, head of field development at the fabricator.

“The Kristin project represents a very technologically advanced solution for one of the most challenging and demanding Norwegian reservoirs, with high pressure and temperature.

“Demanding developments such as this give us expertise and experience which we can jointly and individually apply to oil and gas fields in other parts of the world.”

Plans call for Kristin, which contains gas and condensate (light oil) and lies in the Halten Bank area, to begin production on 1 October 2005.