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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--A contract to electrify offshore production in Norway sets a new standard for efficiency and a lower environmental footprint, upstream services firm SLB (NYSE:SLB) (Houston, Texas) said.
SLB, formerly Schlumberger, said it was awarded a contract by Norwegian energy major Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger, Norway) for front-end engineering design (FEED) for a 12-well, all-electric production system for the Fram Sor field.
"The project will fast-track wide-scale global adoption of electric subsea technology, setting new standards for increased operator control, subsea operational efficiency and reduced offshore emissions," SLB said Friday.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), the nation's energy regulator, considers regional production to be low carbon, with as much as 40% of the offshore installations targeted for electrification. Emissions of carbon dioxide from production average 15 pounds per barrel, relative to a global average of about 37 pounds.
On the other side of the North Sea, the British government's North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) found that electrification of offshore platforms could save between 1 million and 2 million metric tons of emissions every year, the equivalent of removing 1 million cars off the road.
The NSTA estimates that electrification will be such an integral part of the government's decarbonization strategy that field development plans may be in jeopardy without it.
Equinor already has powered two of its oil and gas fields--Snorre and Gullfaks--with energy from the floating Hywind Tampen windfarm in the North Sea.
"Electrification is vital to the future of subsea operations in the energy transition," said Mads Hjelmeland, chief executive officer of the subsidiary SLB OneSubsea.
Apart from the environmental benefits, SLB said the new design would do without high-pressure hydraulic systems, which it believes will allow operators to drill deep enough to make even marginal fields attractive.
Norway is a vital producer for a European economy looking to do without Russian fuels for fear of building up its war chest. Its government said Friday that seven discoveries were made in its territorial waters this year, with five of those in the North Sea.
As of Thursday, there were 93 producing fields on the Norwegian shelf. Two others--Johan Castberg and Balder Future--should ramp up production before the end of the year.
Equinor last year found more oil in the Fram area in a prospect that was considered commercial.
"We're seeing high and stable oil and gas production , many projects are under construction at yards around the country, and exploration activity is high," said Torgeir Stordal, the director general of the offshore regulator.
Much of what's left in Norwegian territorial waters is in the Barents Sea. The government plans to open 37 blocks in the Barents and Norwegian seas to would-be drillers, something it said was necessary to maintain production.
Norway is the seventh-largest gas producer in the world, satisfying about 3% of the global demand. Oil is similar, with Norwegian supplies accounting for about 2.3% of total global production.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Production Project Database can click here for projects related to Equinor's Fram Sør Offshore Oil & Gas Field Development and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
SLB, formerly Schlumberger, said it was awarded a contract by Norwegian energy major Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger, Norway) for front-end engineering design (FEED) for a 12-well, all-electric production system for the Fram Sor field.
"The project will fast-track wide-scale global adoption of electric subsea technology, setting new standards for increased operator control, subsea operational efficiency and reduced offshore emissions," SLB said Friday.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), the nation's energy regulator, considers regional production to be low carbon, with as much as 40% of the offshore installations targeted for electrification. Emissions of carbon dioxide from production average 15 pounds per barrel, relative to a global average of about 37 pounds.
On the other side of the North Sea, the British government's North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) found that electrification of offshore platforms could save between 1 million and 2 million metric tons of emissions every year, the equivalent of removing 1 million cars off the road.
The NSTA estimates that electrification will be such an integral part of the government's decarbonization strategy that field development plans may be in jeopardy without it.
Equinor already has powered two of its oil and gas fields--Snorre and Gullfaks--with energy from the floating Hywind Tampen windfarm in the North Sea.
"Electrification is vital to the future of subsea operations in the energy transition," said Mads Hjelmeland, chief executive officer of the subsidiary SLB OneSubsea.
Apart from the environmental benefits, SLB said the new design would do without high-pressure hydraulic systems, which it believes will allow operators to drill deep enough to make even marginal fields attractive.
Norway is a vital producer for a European economy looking to do without Russian fuels for fear of building up its war chest. Its government said Friday that seven discoveries were made in its territorial waters this year, with five of those in the North Sea.
As of Thursday, there were 93 producing fields on the Norwegian shelf. Two others--Johan Castberg and Balder Future--should ramp up production before the end of the year.
Equinor last year found more oil in the Fram area in a prospect that was considered commercial.
"We're seeing high and stable oil and gas production , many projects are under construction at yards around the country, and exploration activity is high," said Torgeir Stordal, the director general of the offshore regulator.
Much of what's left in Norwegian territorial waters is in the Barents Sea. The government plans to open 37 blocks in the Barents and Norwegian seas to would-be drillers, something it said was necessary to maintain production.
Norway is the seventh-largest gas producer in the world, satisfying about 3% of the global demand. Oil is similar, with Norwegian supplies accounting for about 2.3% of total global production.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Production Project Database can click here for projects related to Equinor's Fram Sør Offshore Oil & Gas Field Development and click here for the related plant profiles.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
