Norwegian oil and gas firm Aker BP (OSE:AKRBP) has announced the start up of production from the Hanz development in the North Sea.
Hanz is a subsea field development tied into Aker BP’s Ivar Aasen platform, around 110 miles west of Karmøy.
Ivar Aasen was discovered in 2008 and was joined with other discoveries in the area, including Hanz, which was first proven in 1997. First oil from Ivar Aasen was produced in December 2016, while appraisal wells were drilled at Hanz in 2018.
Aker BP said it has invested close to NOK 5 billion (£367m) in the project which is expected to yield around 20 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Hanz equipment re-use
The Hanz development is the first time that production equipment has been re-used in a new field development on the Norwegian continental shelf, Aker BP said, with the project utilising subsea production systems from the Jette field.
In addition to the re-use of equipment, Aker BP said the strategy for how the oil and gas is to be recovered was changed to include use of a cross-flow well for water injection.
© Supplied by Aker BPThe Norwegian firm said this results in a substantial reduction of power consumption, less use of chemicals and less equipment on the seabed.
Aker BP chief executive officer Karl Johnny Hersvik said Hanz is a “another great example of what we can achieve working as one team”.
Mr Hersvik said the “innovative solutions” used in Hanz contributed to lower costs and lower emissions.
Aker BP vice president for projects Stine Kongshaug McIntosh said Hanz “will be more cost-efficient and have a smaller environmental footprint than originally planned for”.
The Ivar Aasen platform receives power from the Edvard Grieg platform ten kilometres to the southeast and since 2022 power from shore from the Johan Sverdrup field, minimising direct CO2 emissions.
The Hanz field is located within Licence 028 B, with Aker BP operating the field with a 35% share alongside partners Equinor (50%) and Sval Energi (15%).
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