ConocoPhillips has started oil production at the Ekofisk South development project in the Norwegian North Sea. The project is part of the Greater Ekofisk Area located 200 miles offshore Stavanger, encompassing Eldfisk, Embla, and Tor.
The production capacity at the Ekofisk South platform is 70,000 boe/d. Production will be expanded in the next 4 years as 35 new production wells and 8 water injection wells are expected to be drilled. The company said development projects offshore Norway could add 60,000 boe/d to its production volumes by 2017.
“This is the first of several new major project startups that will contribute to the company’s growth over the next few years,” stated Matt Fox, executive vice-president, exploration and production. “In Norway, a second project, Eldfisk II, is scheduled to start up by early 2015. These projects will increase ultimate resource recoveries and extend the field life of this premier legacy asset for years to come.”
The development and operation plan for Ekofisk South was approved by the Norwegian Parliament in June 2011 along with the Eldfisk II project plan in the same license. Production start-up for Eldfisk II is scheduled for early 2015.
In 2009, ConocoPhillips said it planned to inject water in Ekofish South, which had not yet been flooded (OGJ Online, Mar. 20, 2009). One year later, the company let a contract to Aker Solutions for the engineering, procurement, and construction of a platform jacket and bridge support jacket for the Ekofisk 2/4L accommodations platform that was installed on Block 2/4 off Norway (OGJ Online, Mar. 17, 2010). Also in 2010, ConocoPhillips conditionally let a contract for the topsides module of the Ekofisk 2/4 Z production platform (OGJ Online, Dec. 22, 2010).
In 1992, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate warned Phillips Petroleum Co. Norway AS it would shut down Ekofisk oil field because of safety concerns before winter 1995-96, citing studies by Phillips that indicated aging equipment and inadequate maintenance worsened by seabed subsidence (OGJ, Oct. 19, 1992, p. 42). Two years later, Norway approved Phillips Norway’s use of a steel processing and transportation platform in redeveloping the field (OGJ, Dec. 19, 1994, p. 146).
In 1998, Phillips said it would begin abandonment work from Ekofisk that year and remove derelict platforms in 2001 (OGJ, Sept. 7, 1998, p. 32).
Crude oil and gas are exported from producing fields in Greater Okfisk by pipeline to respective destinations of Teesside, England, and Emden, Germany.
ConocoPhillips operates the Greater Ekofisk Area with 35.1% working interest. Partners include Total SA 39.9%, Eni SPA 12.4%, Statoil ASA 7.6%, and Petoro with 5%.
