On Friday 29 July the new Cat D Songa Enabler drilling rig started drilling on the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea off the coast of Hammerfest (photo: Statoil)

Statoil reports that the Songa Enabler drilling rig has started drilling a new injection well for CO₂ gas on the Snøhvit field off the coast of Hammerfest. Next a production well will be drilled for replenishment of gas for Hammerfest LNG.

Snøhvit is still the only LNG project in the world capturing and storing CO₂ separated from the well stream in a dedicated formation offshore.

So far more than four million tonnes of CO₂ from Snøhvit have been stored. The stored CO₂ is being monitored in order to ensure that it does not mix with the main producing reservoir. A new CO₂ injection well is now required.

After the new CO₂ injector is installed, the rig will move on to drill the first new production well at Snøhvit since the field came on stream in 2007. The drilling campaign is planned to last until Christmas.

The CO₂ solution project was established in 2013 in order to build and install a new CO₂ injection well, replacing the original injector that over time would leak CO₂ into the gas reservoir on the Snøhvit field.

 “Hammerfest LNG needed replenishment of gas in order to maintain the high production and capacity utilisation at the plant, while ensuring sustainable CO₂ storage. This project is therefore important to Statoil,” says Geir Owren, asset owner representative for the project.

In the summer of 2015 an extensive marine campaign was performed. Pipelines and a template for the CO₂ project were installed and tied in to the existing subsea facility on the Snøhvit field. The new subsea facility was built and installed without injuries and well within the budget of NOK 2.5 billion.

“The distance to the Barents Sea presents extra challenges with regard to mobilisation and sailing time, which requires careful planning, thorough preparations and close cooperation with the suppliers. We are pleased both with the equipment suppliers and marine operations, which resulted in successful project implementation,” says project leader Sveinung Øvretveit.

The next big development step for Hammerfest LNG is the development of the Askeladd field, which is part of the plan for development and operation of the Snøhvit licence. It is expected to come on stream in 2020/2021. This development step will help ensure full utilisation of the capacity at Hammerfest LNG.

Tags: Statoil