Platform Installed at Nova Field in Norwegian North Sea

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--As drilling activity in the North Sea remains depressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was full steam ahead at the Nova development where Neptune Energy and Wintershall DEA have completed the lift of the 740-tonne topside module.

Located in the Norwegian North Sea, the Gjøa platform was lifted into place over three hours by the world's largest crane vessel, Heerema Marine Contractors' Sleipnir. The Nova field, operated by Wintershall DEA, will use the Gjøa platform first while the Duva and Gjøa P1 fields operated by Neptune will be tied-back to Gjøa in the future. The companies stated that sharing infrastructure and making use of smart subsea solutions reduces their costs, improves efficiency and lowers the carbon intensity of the operations.

The Nova field is being developed as a subsea tie-back, connecting two templates to the Gjøa platform. Production will begin in 2021, when the topside module will receive the hydrocarbons from the field and provide water injection for pressure support and gas lift. The field, which has estimated recoverable reserves of 80 million barrels, is located about 120 kilometres northwest of Bergen and approximately 17 kilometres southwest of the Gjøa platform in the Norwegian North Sea, at a water depth of 370 metres.

The Gjøa field, where production started in 2010, is developed with five subsea templates tied to the Gjøa semi-submersible platform for processing and export. Oil is exported by pipeline to Mongstad and gas by pipeline to St. Fergus in the U.K. Industrial Info is tracking four key projects at the Nova field with a combined investment value of $5.6 billion.

"This impressive heavy-lift marks the beginning of a new era for the Gjøa platform," said managing director of Neptune Energy in Norway, Odin Estensen. "The Nova field adds valuable resources, prolongs the life of the platform and increases the profitability of Gjøa's own production. Electrified with hydro power from shore, Gjøa is becoming the efficient, low-carbon hub she was designed to be."

Wintershall DEA Nova Project Director Andre Hesse added: "The close collaboration with Neptune Energy, our partners and suppliers has been a highlight of the Nova project to date. Construction and installation of the topside module is a critical component of the Nova project, which has been handled on time, with total professionalism and a high regard for safety. Sleipnir's safe lift of the module onto the Gjøa platform brings us another important step closer to production start on the Nova field."

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