Norwegian energy giant Statoil has been given approval to go ahead with its plans to develop its Stjerne and Vigdis North-East fields.
Statoil said today’s approvals from the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy meant all four of its first fast-track projects had secured the go-ahead.
The ministry had approved the Hyme and Visund South development and operation plans in June. All four projects had been launched in January last year.
“Getting a green light for the first part of the portfolio represents an important milestone for us,” says Halfdan Knudsen, who heads Statoil’s fast-track developments off Norway.
“The concept is well established, and new candidates are being added to the list continuously. We’re keeping up the pace.”
Three out of four discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) have been classified as small since 2007.
Most are eligible for the fast-track portfolio if they can be tied back to existing production facilities.
Vigdis North-East, in the Tampen area of the Norwegian North Sea, is to be developed with a four-slot seabed template tied back to Snorre A, which stands about seven kilometres away.
Vigdis has 25 million barrels of oil equivalent recoverable resources and is due on stream in 2012-13, Statoil said.
It is operator and 41.5% owner with Petoro (30%), ExxonMobil (10%), Idemitsu (9.6%), Total (5.6%) and RWE Dea Norge (2.8%).
Earlier called Katla, Stjerne, south-west of Oseberg South in the Norwegian North Sea, will also be developed with a four-slot subsea template. Two wells will produce, while the others are for water injection to help maintain reservoir pressure.
It has recoverable resources of 45 million barrels of oil equivalent and is due on stream in 2013. Statoil is operator and 49.3% owner with Petoro (33.6%), Total E&P Norge (10%), ExxonMobil E&P Norway (4.7%) and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia (2.4%).