The Goliat FPSO unit sails away from Ulsan in South Korea in February. The unit, currently off the middle coast of Norway, is scheduled to arrive at Hammerfest this week. (Source: Eni Norge)
The FPSO unit for the Goliat oil field in the Barents Sea will complete the final stage of its journey from South Korea to Norway by the end of this week.
The Dockwise Vanguard heavylift vessel, which is transporting the unit, is currently off the coast of mid-Norway and will arrive at Hammerfest in northern Norway on April 17. The world’s largest heavylift vessel set sail from Ulsan in South Korea on Feb. 14 on its 15,700 nautical mile journey.
Vetle Dalan, subsea technology manager for operator Eni Norge, explained the next steps in the field development process to delegates at the Subsea Valley Conference in Oslo on April 15.
“There will be some activities prior to float-off of the FPSO. Some of the different systems will be started up, and there will be a float-off just outside Hammerfest,” Dalan said. “After float-off the FPSO will be located in Ersvika fjord close to Hammerfest and the fjord phase will last for two to three weeks. After that the FPSO will be towed out to the field location and mooring and pull-in of risers will take place later this spring and in early summer”
The aim is to start up production from the field via the geostationary FPSO vessel in late summer this year, Dalan added. Currently, two wells are being drilled; five wells have already been drilled and completed.
Hydrocarbon resources from Goliat, which will become the northernmost oil field in the world, will be produced through a total of 22 wells with 11 producers, nine water injectors and two gas injectors.
Two 12-inch subsea pipelines have been installed, and the subsea production system will provide the means for injecting chemicals to prevent hydrate, wax and scale formation.
Subsea installation took place in 2011 and 2012, and remaining work includes the hookup and pulling up of the risers.
The Goliat FPSO unit will be moored with 14 polyester mooring lines in three clusters of 4, 4 and 6 lines at 400 m (1,312 ft) water depth.
The Sevan Marine-designed floater, the world’s largest cylindrical floater yet built, weighs 64,000 tons, is 117 m (367 ft) in diameter and 75 m (246 ft) tall and is designed to hold up to 1 MMbbl of crude oil.
Power will be provided from land, while oil will be exported by shuttle tankers. Associated gas will be reinjected, while the possible export of gas is also being evaluated.
The project is substantially behind schedule, originally having been planned to come on-stream before year-end 2013.
It is also over budget, with project cost estimates now put at US $5.5 billion (NOK 45 billion), up from the original estimate of $4.2 billion, due mainly to engineering adjustments and higher equipment prices.
Contact the author, John Sheehan, at jsheehan@hartenergy.com.
Recommended Reading
Chevron Hunts Upside for Oil Recovery, D&C Savings with Permian Pilots
2024-02-06 - New techniques and technologies being piloted by Chevron in the Permian Basin are improving drilling and completed cycle times. Executives at the California-based major hope to eventually improve overall resource recovery from its shale portfolio.
Evolution Petroleum Sees Progress on SCOOP/STACK, Chaveroo Operations
2024-03-11 - Evolution expects to participate in future development blocks, holding in aggregate over 70 additional horizontal well locations.
CEO: Continental Adds Midland Basin Acreage, Explores Woodford, Barnett
2024-04-11 - Continental Resources is adding leases in Midland and Ector counties, Texas, as the private E&P hunts for drilling locations to explore. Continental is also testing deeper Barnett and Woodford intervals across its Permian footprint, CEO Doug Lawler said in an exclusive interview.
To Dawson: EOG, SM Energy, More Aim to Push Midland Heat Map North
2024-02-22 - SM Energy joined Birch Operations, EOG Resources and Callon Petroleum in applying the newest D&C intel to areas north of Midland and Martin counties.
CNX, Appalachia Peers Defer Completions as NatGas Prices Languish
2024-04-25 - Henry Hub blues: CNX Resources and other Appalachia producers are slashing production and deferring well completions as natural gas spot prices hover near record lows.