By the OGJ Online Staff
LONDON, Feb. 9�Norsk Hydro AS reported Thursday that its Njord oil field in the Norwegian Sea had resumed normal operations as production at many of the operator's other Norwegian Continental Shelf installations was ramped back up after "drastic" output reductions related to the recent extreme cold in the region.
Hydro said Njord, where production had been cut to only 7,000 b/d due to frosting problems in the installation's gas compressors, was back to full production of 75,000 b/d late Thursday.
The operator's North Sea Snorre and Vigdis fields were back producing at a rate of 275,000 b/d. Production from the Snorre tension leg platform, and Vigdis subsea installation tied back to Snorre, had earlier been reduced to a combined 45,000 b/d.
The operator's Oseberg field center, where output usually is 200,000 b/d but was cut to just 30,000 b/d due to the closure of the onshore Sture wet gas terminal, was returning its output to normal levels yesterday.
Hydro acknowledged that its gas exports to Europe were "still out of action" due to last weekend's extreme weather.
Meanwhile, Norske Shell AS said Thursday that its Draugen field in the Norwegian Sea would remain shut in until the temperature climbed above freezing, which was forecast for Friday. Acting Draugen Platform Manager Nils Gunnar Gundersen said, "Work is being done to prepare the start-up procedure."