The 23-kilometre-long Tampen Link pipeline between the Statfjord field and the British sector of the North Sea has been laid, providing capacity for gas from the Statfjord late life project.
Tampen Link ties the Statfjord field in with the Flags pipeline which runs from the Brent field in the British sector to St Fergus in Scotland. The Saipem UK-owned Castoro Sei laybarge has laid the pipeline.
"The pipeline will be ready for use by 1 October 2007," says Bjarne Bakken, project director.
"It forms part of the extensive work now being carried out on the Statfjord late life project. The new pipeline will allow late life project gas to be exported to the UK market."
The project involves the three Statfjord field platforms being modified, from handling oil with associated gas, to handling gas with associated oil. The field's life span will thereby be extended up to 2020, with partners investing just over NOK 16 billion.
Tampen Link has a diameter of 32 inches. It has taken 10 days to lay.
"The realisation of Statfjord late life represents a considerable contribution to value creation on the Norwegian continental shelf," says Mr Bakken.
"Recovery at the field will be further increased. At the same time, modification work will involve intense activity both for Statoil and suppliers."
Statfjord late life's additional recoverable resources are estimated at 32 billion standard cubic metres of gas, 25 million barrels of oil and 60 million barrels of condensate. The expected recovery ratio is up to 70% for oil and 75% for gas.
The Tampen Link operatorship will be transferred from Statoil to Gassco when production begins.
Statoil is operator for Statfjord with a 44.34% interest. The other Statfjord licensees are ExxonMobil (21.37%), Norske ConocoPhillips (10.33%), Shell (8.55%), ConocoPhillips UK (4.84%), Centrica Resources (9.68%) and Enterprise oil with 0.89%.