The Njord A mooring windlass (illustration: Rolls-Royce)

Rolls-Royce has been chosen by Norway-based engineering and construction services firm Kvaerner to provide a mooring system for Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil’s oil platform, Njord A.

Njord A is being upgraded by Kvaerner and Rolls-Royce has been chosen to provide an upgrade to its mooring system. The contract has a value of about GBP 15 million.

Njord A is a semisubmersible floating steel platform, with an integrated deck with drilling and processing facilities, as well as living quarters. It is normally located in the Njord oilfield, around 130 km northwest of the city Kristiansund and 30 km west of the Draugen field.

Today Njord A has a 12-point mooring system which will be upgraded to a modern 17-point system. Rolls-Royce will supply low pressure hydraulic driven winches, fairleads and a control system. The semisubmersible four-column production platform will be moored at about 330-metre water depth.

The delivery from Rolls-Royce is scheduled for 2018. The platform is planned to be back in operation offshore in 2020 and to operate for another 20 years.

The platform upgrade is part of a project Statoil has named “Njord Future,” intended to prolong the lifespan of the Njord field.

Knut Hovland, Rolls-Royce, Director of Customer & Services – Marine, says, “We are proud to be part of this extensive upgrade programme. It is the first time in the Norway’s history as an oil producing country that a platform is being towed to shore for an extensive upgrade. Previous upgrades have been done offshore.”

Njord A was originally delivered in 1997 by the organisation which is today Kvaerner. The topside was produced at Stord, while the hull was fabricated at Verdal, both on the west coast of Norway. The platform was towed offshore only 28 months after cutting of the first steel plates.

Tags: Kvaerner, Rolls-Royce, Statoil