This is an example of how project implementation will proceed in the months to come.
Statoil is slated to deliver 2.5 million barrels of oil equivalents per day in 2020. Realising the project portfolio is an important contributor towards achieving this target.
The number of projects, particularly very large projects, has grown in recent years, and will continue to rise.
"Gudrun represents good experience for us in terms of the way we work together with Norwegian and international suppliers, delivering on time and budget, and with the right quality, keeping in mind the large project portfolio ahead," says Anders Opedal, director of projects in Statoil.
Anders Opedal, direktør for Prosjekter i Statoil. (Foto: Øyvind Hagen)
The jacket was manufactured in Verdal, the accommodations unit on Stord, the platform modules are from Thailand and the helicopter deck is from China. The engineering of the Gudrun deck was carried out in Singapore, while the modules were built in Poland, Haugesund and Thailand.
"Quality is a key word when it comes to delivering projects on time and within budget. Our experience is that the Gudrun building blocks are quite similar in quality, regardless of whether the modules are manufactured in the East or here in Europe. As operator, one of our primary tasks is to ensure that suppliers comply with technical and operational requirements," says Anders Opedal.
Aibel delivered the deck, the steel jacket was designed by Aker Solutions, and transport and installation were handled by Saipem. In addition, there are a number of sub-suppliers from three different continents.
"Cooperation between capable Norwegian and international suppliers is essential to ensure profitability and quality in competition with major international oil companies," says Opedal.
Statoil has considerable focus on lessons learned and transferring experience between projects.
Ivar Aasheim, direktør for feltutvikling på norsk sokkel i Statoil
Both Valemon and Dagny, the next project in line in the Greater Sleipner area, share a number of traits with Gudrun. Experience from Gudrun will be important for future projects, both in Norway and internationally.
Two billion saved
The Gudrun development has employed several smart measures to prevent schedule and cost overruns. So far, NOK 2 billion has been saved, out of a total budget of almost NOK 21 billion.
The savings are a result of:
- Thorough planning, including a master plan which all sub-projects share a common understanding of, as well as a sense of ownership.
- Close follow-up of the various suppliers.
- The project has been divided into much smaller budget units to stimulate and highlight savings.
- Strict change management has also prevented the escalation of sub-projects.
Important contributor 

"Gudrun is the first in a series of new installations in an area of the North Sea that is mature, but still very exciting," says Ivar Aasheim, Statoil's field development director on the Norwegian shelf.
"Using existing infrastructure for processing and transport from Sleipner makes it profitable to develop new fields in the surrounding area. Starting from 2014, Gudrun will be an important contributor towards maintaining production in the years to come," he says.