Statoil’s first gravity-based installation in the North Sea will be permanently shut down today after nearly 13 years in production.
The move comes after the Statoil-operated Huldra platform recently underwent operational and maintenance works.
The North Sea installation first came on stream in November 2001. The project was a company first for the Norwegian explorer as it was operated without permanent staffing. Instead it was managed from the Veslefrikk B platform which is located 16km away.
In a bid to reuse the platform, Statoil originally placed the installation up for sale three years ago but failed to secure a serious buyer. The firm confirmed the project is “still actively seeking a solution of reuse”.
In its heyday Huldra produced more than 11 million standard cubic metres of gas and 4,000 standard cubic metres of condensate per day. It has since produced a total of 17,5 GSm³ of wet gas and maintained a recovery rate of 80%.
The West Epsilon drilling rig is expected to permanently well plug Huldra in 2016. Full decommissioning will then be carried out between 2019 and 2021.
Statoil will permanently pull the production plug for Huldra today – six years after originally planned.
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