Statoil ASA started up two compressors this month from its Troll A platform in the Norwegian North Sea. They were lifted onto the platform last year (OGJ Online, June 5, 2014).
The company says the compressors will together add 83 billion cu m to natural gas recovery, extending Troll field’s long-term production profile to 2063 from 2045.
They also ensure an export capacity from Troll of 120 million standard cu m/day of gas, totaling 30 billion standard cu m/year.
The compressors are operated by land-based power from Statoil’s Kollsnes gas processing plant on the southern portion of Ooy island in Norway, without carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from the platform. Five 70-km cables have been laid between Troll and land, and a converter station has been built at Kollsnes.
“This is a new strategic milestone for the Troll field. The compressors are an important investment to ensure sustainable, long-term production and activity on the Norwegian continental shelf,” said Gunnar Nakken, Statoil’s newly appointed senior vice-president for its operations west cluster.
During the past 18 months, Statoil has started up low-pressure compressors on Troll A; Kvitebjorn; Heidrun; Kristin; Asgard (OGJ Online, June 9, 2015); and Gullfaks (OGJ Online, Oct. 12, 2015); the last two of which lie on the seabed. The compressors collectively increase the recovery rate by more than 1.2 billion bbl, extending the life of the installations.
