The semi-submersible platform for Statoil’s Kristin field in the Norwegian Sea was named at the Aker Stord yard south of Bergen today, 16 March.
Norwegian trade and industry minister Børge Brende performed this official ceremony for the unit, which is due to be towed out later this month and to come on stream in October.
The audience for the naming included Statoil chief executive Helge Lund and Inge K Hansen, president and CEO at Norway’s Aker Kvaerner fabrication group.
In addition to assembling the floating platform, Aker Stord has been responsible for fabricating its topside structure.
“This is the most demanding reservoir ever developed off Norway, and has called for pioneering technology,” says Nina Udnes Tronstad, operations vice president for Kristin.
She emphasises that the project represents a major technology leap for Statoil and the offshore supplies industry.
“This is a forward-looking development which opens new opportunities for us, the Norwegian continental shelf and the international oil business,” she says.
The hull of the Kristin platform was built at Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea, while the quarters module comes from Emtunga in Sweden.
Spain’s Dragados yard also supplied the riser balcony and flare boom. However, Norwegian companies account for about 80 per cent of deliveries to the development.
A gas and condensate field, Kristin is being developed with 12 subsea-completed wells – including seven drilled as long and highly deviated.
The Kristin reservoir lies 4,500 metres beneath the seabed and features record pressure and temperature, at 911 bar and 170°C respectively.