Norwgian oil giant Statoil has today officially opened its first platform on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) since 2005.
The Gudrun platform is the first in a line of new field developments operated by Statoil. It precedes Valemon, scheduled for start-up later this year, followed by Gina Krog and Johan Sverdrup on the Utsira High.
Gudrun, which holds an estimated 184million barrels of oil equivalent and was discovered in 1974, is already producing 30,000 barrels per day.
The platform combines new field development with existing infrastructure. Oil and gas from the field are processed on the Sleipner A platform, located 50 kilometres further south; the gas is then piped to Europe, while the oil is piped along with the Sleipner condensate to the Kårstø processing complex north of Stavanger for shipment.
“Gudrun is a good example of how we manage to realize projects by combining new field developments with existing infrastructure,” said Helge Lund, Statoil’s chief executive.
“This is good value creation that helps maintain activity and extends the life of a wide range of offshore fields and facilities.”
Gudrun has been put on stream on time and below the cost estimate of the plan for development and operation, Statoil said.
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