Four fields “on fast track”

Speeding up the development time is an important way of realising Statoil’s objective of  maintaining oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf at the current level.

Three of four discoveries made since 2007 have been classified as small. Nine out of ten development candidates are likely to be developed with one seabed template and several wells.

“If we are going to be able to realise profitable developments such projects demand a different approach to that on major fields. By  rationalising time and resources and by using standard equipment, Statoil will reduce the norm time for simple developments from about five to two and a half years,” says Tungesvik.

Statoil has identified four projects to be given fast-track status.

• Katla – to be developed as a satellite of Oseberg Sør. Expected production start-up at the end of 2012.
• Vigdis Nordøst – to be developed as a satellite of Snorre. Expected production start-up in 2012.
• Gygrid – to be developed as a satellite of Draugen or Njord. Expected production start-up in 2012/2013.
• Pan/ Pandora – to be developed as a satellite of Visund or Gullfaks. Expected production start-up in 2012.

The new methodology involves a greater degree of standardisation in the way the company develops fields and Statoil will now establish a catalogue listing the standard equipment to be used.