The Njord A platform being towed by the anchor handling tug supply vessel KL Sandefjord (photo: Thomas Sola/Statoil)

Statoil reports that the Njord A platform has arrived at Kværner Stord. The platform will now be reinforced and renovated for production beyond 2030.

Oil and gas production on Njord should in fact have ceased a long time ago. When the field was developed, it was scheduled for production until 2013.

“We have been able to recover more of the reserves than originally expected, and following new discoveries and the Snilehorn development, field production will continue for at least ten more years. This is a big and important project and Statoil is working closely with the partners and suppliers to succeed,” says Snorre Grande, project director for the Njord Future project.

The commercial basis for the Njord A renovation still requires production from Njord and Hyme, where we have identified 177 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) remaining to be produced.

Scheduled for tie-in to Njord, the Snilehorn discovery contains 66 million barrels. These two fields combined will provide more recoverable resources than the Gina Krog field, which is currently under development on the Norwegian continental shelf.

To enable Njord A to receive these resources, the hull must first of all be reinforced. Extensive renovation on board the platform will also be made.

Njord has been on stream for 6821 days and 54 wells have been drilled, including exploration wells. A total of 167 million barrels of oil and 41 billion standard cubic metres of gas have been produced since the start-up almost 20 years ago.

“We have been preparing the platform on the field since March. Marine operations have been carried out safely and successfully, and well within the planned execution period. It has been great to take part in the Njord A platform’s voyage to Klosterfjorden, where Kværner is now taking over,” says Knut Lorang Alvheim, project manager for marine operations on board Njord A.

Production on Njord and Hyme was shut down in June and preparations for the Njord A tow-in have continued through the summer, including tasks such as securing of wells and facilities before the actual disconnection.

The Njord Bravo storage vessel arrived at Umoe Sterkoder in July. Extensive work is currently being made to examine the vessel’s condition closely. A decision will be made this year whether it is possible to extend the life of the storage vessel or we need to construct a new vessel.

Tags: Kværner Stord, Statoil