Statoil, together with its Luva field partners, has selected a Spar platform to develop the field. As a gas transport solution has also been decided, a major step has now been taken towards deep-water production in the Norwegian Sea.

The Luva field, which is a deep-water pioneer in the Norwegian Sea, may be the first to have a Spar platform on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The field is located outside of existing infrastructure and has a water depth of 1300 metres.

"This development may represent the start of deep-water production in the Norwegian Sea, and it will enable the tie-in of other discoveries in the same area", says Ivar Aasheim, senior vice president for NCS field development in Statoil.

Luva concept

The Luva field is planned for development with a Spar platform, which consists of a large-diameter, single vertical cylinder supporting a conventional deck with processing facility, accommodation quarters, etc. The installation is fixed to the seabed.

The choice of concept is in line with the study presented in March 2011. It will be the first Spar on the NCS, and one of the largest of its kind worldwide.

The concept includes two subsea templates with four wells on each and one satellite template with one well.

The platform will house accommodation quarters for a permanent crew, a storage unit for condensate and a gas processing facility with a capacity of 23 million standard cubic metres per day.

NSGI concept

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Sea Gas Infrastructure (NSGI) project has chosen a gas transport concept that includes a 480km long, 30-36 inch pipeline from the Luva field to the onshore processing facility at Nyhamna.

The pipeline will also be connected ion to the Linnorm field and tied-in to the Zidane field. In addition, connection to Åsgard Transport via the Kristin platform will be possible and there are plans for tying in other fields and discoveries.

The concept includes the expansion of the Ormen Lange field's Nyhamna gas plant with the intention of converting it into a gas terminal.

"NSGI would not only provide gas export solutions for Luva, Linnorm and Zidane, it would contribute in opening up a new gas region on the NCS, making it possible to develop existing and potential future discoveries in the area," says Statoil's project director Håkon Ivarjord..

"NSGI will also take care of gas exports from the Haltenbanken area that exceed the available capacity in Åsgard Transport, thus improving the resource management of the existing fields there. In this respect NSGI may play an important role in securing the NCS's position as a long-term, reliable gas province."

Industrial development

The substantial investments being made on Luva will drive the development of deep-water production in the Norwegian Sea. The biggest and most long-term spin-off effects will arise during the operational phase, even given the magnitude of the investments during the construction period.

Collaboration with Petro Arctic has been established, as Luva will have a considerable impact on industrial development in the north of Norway.

Facts about Luva

- Gas discovery at water depth of 1300 metres in the Vøring area, 300km offshore.
- Expected recoverable volume is 40 – 60 billion standard cubic metres of gas
- Lean gas with low carbon content
- 140km to the nearest installation (Norne) and 480km to the Nyhamna gas plant
- The discovery made in 1997, Statoil has been operator since 2006
- Expected to come on stream in 2016
- Partners are Statoil (75%), ExxonMobil (15%) and ConocoPhillips (10%)

Facts about NSGI

- Statoil has assumed the responsibility for the NSGI development from Gassco and has been assigned operator for the construction phase, while Shell has been assigned responsibility for the modifications at Nyhamna.
- Gassco is responsible for the commercial process between the NSGI partners and other infrastructure facility owners as well as for all pre-operational activities.
- Gassco will take over as operator when NSGI is incorporated into Gassled at start-up, which is expected to take place during 2016.
- The NSGI partners are Centrica, ConocoPhillips, Edison, E.ON Ruhrgas, ExxonMobil, GDF SUEZ, Maersk, OMW, Petoro, RWE Dea, Shell, Statoil and TOTAL.