Aker Solutions' maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) business in Norway secured a contract from Statoil for preliminary engineering work to enable a tie-in of the Utgard gas and condensate field to the Sleipner facilities in the North Sea.

The work involves preliminary engineering for platform modifications at Sleipner to tie in the Utgard subsea field. Statoil may also exercise an option in the contract for engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) services for the platform modifications, which will be decided on later this year by the development's license partners.

"This builds on the strengths of our operations in Norway and our expertise in complex modifications," said Per Harald Kongelf, head of Aker Solutions' Norwegian operations. "We are pleased to be working further with Statoil on this important field development to secure crucial resources."

The work will be managed and executed by Aker Solutions' MMO unit in Stavanger. It builds on a series of modification projects that Aker Solutions has carried out for Statoil at Sleipner over the past five years.

"We are continually working on delivering the most cost-effective and efficient solutions for our customers," said Knut Sandvik, head of Aker Solutions' MMO operations. "This award confirms that we are on the right track."

About Aker Solutions

Aker Solutions is a global provider of products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. Its engineering, design and technology bring discoveries into production and maximize recovery. The company employs approximately 15,000 people in about 20 countries.

About Statoil

Statoil ASA (OSE: STL, NYSE: STO) is an international energy company with operations in 36 countries. Building on 40 years of experience from oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf, we are committed to accommodating the world's energy needs in a responsible manner, applying technology and creating innovative business solutions. We are headquartered in Stavanger, Norway, with approximately 23,000 employees worldwide, and are listed on the Oslo and New York stock exchanges.