Statoil says it will launch a new operations centre in Aberdeen within the next three years as it prepares for the launch of the giant Mariner field.
The company, which confirmed at Offshore Europe it was looking to recruit up to 700 new jobs in the region as part of the support for the field, is on track to develop the giant field by 2017.
The £4.5billion heavy oil field, 80 miles south east of Shetland, will be the largest new offshore development in the UK in a decade.
“The project will lead to substantial job creation in the region with more than 700 long-term, full-time positions,” said Statoil executive vice president for development Lars Christian Bacher.
“We started the year with one employee in Aberdeen and expect to have a 75-person strong organisation by year end.”
The field is expected to produce more than 250million barrels over its lifetime, with a peak of 55,000 barrels per day.
The Norwegian giant, which sold off its stakes in the Shiehallion and Rosebank fields to focus on Mariner last month, said it was looking to develop Mariner before starting on the Bressay field.
Work is under way for tendering contracts, with a number already awarded, while installation of the jacket for the field is scheduled for 2015.
“We have chosen a stepwise approach starting with Mariner to ensure experience transfer and learning before we move forward with Bressay,” said Bacher.
“The Bressay field’s reservoir characteristics make it even more challenging than Mariner. Our focus is now on making the required preparations for project decision and execution, including necessary preparations for authority approval.”