Aker Solutions completes Gjøa platform for the North Sea
After a period of development lasting five years, the Gjøa field is approaching start-up. And on Sunday June 13, the field tow commenced of one the most modern platforms built in Norway. The Gjøa production platform was towed out into the fjord off Aker Solutions Stord shipyard.
An unusually long and snow-laden winter created a number of challenges for the project. And when spring finally arrived the platform tow had to be postponed. A systematic review revealed that some minor modifications had to be carried out to the platform hull, and Gjøa had to remain in dock for an extended period.
The tow out to the field is expected to take one and a half days. Work will then start on connecting the platform to the subsea installations and the pipelines that have already been made ready. Final trials and completion work, which can only be carried out on the field, will ensue before test production of oil and gas can start. It is expected that the field will come into regular production in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Gjøa will be the first floating platform to be supplied with electricity from shore. This will reduce environmental emissions equivalent to those from 100,000 passenger cars.
The field was proven in 1989 and its reserves have been estimated to be 82 MMb oil and condensate and 40 Bcm of gas.
Statoil is development operator for the field while GDF Suez E&P Norge will take over as operator when Gjøa comes on stream.
06/14/2010