Visund North production start

Visund North is the sixth project that has started production of the 12 “fast track” projects Statoil has in its portfolio.

“Completion of the first production well as well as a production shutdown at the Visund A platform gave us some challenges, but in spite of this we are starting production only 3-4 weeks after the scheduled startup established two years ago. This is also taking place within the investment frame and without serious HSE incidents,” says Statoil Visund North field development head Hogne Pedersen.

The Visund North and Visund South field developments have to a large extent shared the same project organisation. This has enabled efficient implementation of experiences from Visund South, which was the first development in Statoil’s fast track portfolio.

In addition Pedersen emphasises the good cooperation within the Visund license with the authorities. This has enabled efficient and timely decision processes and allowed the project to meet the ambitious development objectives.

The total recoverable reserves are estimated at 29 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) and the total investment for the field development is NOK 3.3 billion.

Visund North has been developed by a standard, four-well subsea template. The oil is transported in a new pipeline to the Visund A platform for processing via a pipeline manifold and a new subsea safety integrity valve under the platform.

“We managed the challenges we met in the installation phase through the excellent cooperation with our suppliers and the Statoil project team,” says facility project manager Anne Fausa.

“Production from Visund North is a significant part of the production from the Visund field and contributes to the extension of the economic lifetime of the Visund A platform. In addition new resources in the northern Visund area has been proved with the Rhea discovery in January 2013 which was drilled by an exploration pilot from one of the Visund North wells,” says Tom Karsten Gustavsen, Statoil vice president for Kvitebjørn, Visund and Grane.

The five fast track field developments in production in addition to Visund North are Skuld, Stjerne, Vigdis North-east, Hyme and Visund South.

“Visund North is a good representation of the integration of the different areas within Statoil’s fast track strategy. Through the different phases of the field development the profitability has been strengthened, improvements implemented and the cooperation developed and improved,” says Halfdan Knudsen, vice president for Statoil’s fast track portfolio.

The seven remaining developments in the fast track portfolio are Vilje South, Fram H-North, Svalin C, Gullfaks South oil, Oseberg Delta 2 and Gullfaks Rimfaksdalen.

These 12 fast track field developments are scheduled to produce 200,000 boe per day within the end of 2014, whereof Statoil’s share is 100,000 boe per day.