Statoil has awarded Aker Solutions a contract to carry out an extended concept study for a floating production system for the Johan Castberg oil field in the Barents Sea.

The contract, worth NOK 250 million (US $41 million), includes options for further work, said Aker. “This is an exciting opportunity to take part in the development of a major new oil field in northern Norway,” said Per Harald Kongelf, regional president for Norway at Aker.

The company has previously conducted concept studies for the same field, which is estimated to hold between 400 and 600 MMbbl of oil. The Statoil-operated field is located about 240 km north-west of Hammerfest, offshore Norway.