Wintershall Dea Norge AS has expanded production from the Maria field offshore Norway with the installation of an additional subsea rig.
The underwater jig was installed on the seabed at Haltenbraken, a “major milestone” for the Maria Phase 2 project, Wintershall Dea said in a press release on Friday. The project involves the installation of a new six-slot template and four new wells in the southern part of the Maria field, located about 124.3 miles (200 kilometers) off the coast of Norway. The new six-slot template will house three producing wells and a water injector to withstand the pressure. The two spare slots will be available for future development of the field, according to the release.
Wintershall Dea is targeting commissioning of the Maria Phase 2 project in 2025 and expects to add about 27 million barrels of oil equivalent to the field’s total reserves through the project. Maria, which is a subsea field originally developed with two templates, came on stream in 2017 and is expected to continue producing until 2040.
The new template will be connected to the existing infrastructure at the Maria field. Processed oil is sent to the Asgard field for storage and export, while gas is exported through the Asgard transportation system to Karsto, the statement said.
TechnipFMC’s heavy subsea construction vessel North Sea Atlantic transported the 330-metric-ton jig from Vestbase in Kristiansund, mid-Norway, to the Maria field, where it was installed 984 feet (300 meters) below the surface of the sea TechnipFMC was awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract for Phase 2 of Maria in April 2022, according to the statement.
By extending the existing Maria field, the installation of a new subsea jig supports Wintershall Dea’s broader strategy of using nearby area infrastructure to produce new volumes in Norway, the company said. Maria is one of four offshore fields Wintershall Dea currently operates in the country, with more in development, according to the company.
“We believe that using existing infrastructure to produce hydrocarbons is one of the most effective ways to deliver the energy the world needs while contributing to climate goals. We will continue to invest in delivering efficient subsea engineering in Norway,” said Michael Zechner, CEO of Wintershall Dea.
“The safe installation of the template is a crucial step forward for the project. Maria Phase 2 will help extend the useful life of the field and surrounding infrastructure. It will increase reserves and therefore ensure reliable energy in Europe,” said Wintershall Dea Maria Phase 2 project manager Vedad Hadziavdic.
Wintershall Dea is the operator of the Maria field with a 50% stake, while Petoro AS and Sval Energi AS own 30% and 20% respectively.
Reset Dvalin camp
Meanwhile, Wintershall Dea has started production at its Dvalin gas field in the Norwegian Sea, according to an earlier press release.
The Dvalin field had been shut down since late 2020 after high levels of mercury were measured in the well stream. Mercury removal units have since been installed at the Nyhamna and Tjeldbergodden land-based processing facilities in mid-Norway, the statement said. The Dvalin field has an estimated useful life of 2038, including the Dvalin North field, which is currently being developed. Located about 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) northwest of Heidrun, Dvalin was developed with a single subsea jig with four production wells.
“We are aware that during the winter months European gas demand will increase and the continent will look to Norway as the preferred supplier. We have worked hard to ensure that Dvalin is operating safely and we are satisfied that the field will make a important contribution to European energy security,” said Dawn Summers, Chief Operating Officer at Wintershall Dea.
“The team has worked hard to overcome technical challenges in the field, providing robust solutions that will enable Dvalin to deliver substantial volumes of gas to our European partners well into the future,” said Michael Zechner, CEO of Wintershall Dea Norge.
Wintershall Dea is the operator of the Dvalin field with a 55 percent stake, while Petoro and Sval Energi hold 35 percent and 10 percent respectively, the statement said.
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