Development plans approved for Utgard, Byrding fields in North Sea

Jan. 17, 2017
Norwegian authorities have approved Statoil ASA’s development plans for Utgard and Byrding fields in the North Sea.

Norwegian authorities have approved Statoil ASA’s development plans for Utgard and Byrding fields in the North Sea.

Utgard, discovered in 1982, is a natural gas and condensate field on the Norwegian and UK continental shelf with recoverable reserves of 56 million boe, most of which are on the Norwegian side. The field lies 21 km from Sleipner field. The discovery has had several development considerations in the past, but the current plan was submitted in August 2016 (OGJ Online, Aug. 9, 2016).

The development plan calls for two wells in a standard subsea concept, with one drilling target on each side of the median line. Installations and infrastructure will be in the Norwegian sector. According to Statoil, Utgard’s high carbon dioxide content will benefit from carbon cleaning and storage facilities at Sleipner. After processing the liquids will be exported to Karsto and the dry gas to Gassled, which recently has undergone capacity expansion (OGJ Online, Apr. 5, 2016). Statoil plans to bring Utgard on stream in fourth-quarter 2019. Capital expenditures for Utgard are estimated to be 3.5 billion kroner, Statoil said.

Statoil is operator with 38.44% interest. Statoil (UK) Ltd. holds 38% with Lotos Exploration & Production Norge AS 17.36% and KUFPEC Norway AS 6.2%.

Byrding, previously known as Astero, is an oil and gas field north of Troll field. It lies in 360 m of water on Block 35/11 about 3.8 km north of Fram field. According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, the reservoir is about 3,100 m below the ocean surface (OGJ Online, Aug. 19, 2016). The field contains recoverable reserves of 11 million boe.

Byrding development includes a dual-lateral well drilled from the existing Fram H-Nord subsea template. Oil and gas from Byrding will flow to Troll C. The well is planned as a 7-km long lateral with the first kilometer shared by both.

After processing oil will be transported from Troll C to Mongstad and the gas will flow through Troll A to Kollsnes in existing pipelines. The field is scheduled to come on stream in this year’s third quarter at a cost of 1 billion kroner.

Statoil is operator with 70% interest. Partners include Engie E&P Norway AS and Idemitsu Petroleum Norway AS, each of which hold 15% interest.

Contact Tayvis Dunnahoe at [email protected].