By the OGJ Online Staff
LONDON, June 13 -- Plans to develop Ormen Lange gas field in the Norwegian Sea have been delayed to pinpoint placement of wells for the development, operator Norsk Hydro AS said Tuesday.
The project's partners -- Hydro, Statoil AS, Esso E&P Norway AS, BP Amoco Norge AS, and AS Norske Shell -- expect to submit the development and production plan for Ormen Lange to the Norwegian authorities in autumn 2003.
Bengt Lie Hansen, head of Hydro's mid-Norway sector of exploration and development, said studies of the area's seabed topography suggested more extensive mapping and preliminary work were need to draft the best development concept for the Block 6305/5-1 field.
"The area's complex sea topography and extreme subsea conditions have prolonged the process of gathering and evaluating data associated with the pipeline route," said Hansen.
First gas from Ormen Lange is forecast for autumn 2007.
Partnership stakes on Ormen Lange -- which spans licenses 208, 209 and 250 -- are Hydro 25% (208), 14.78% (409), 0% (250), state's direct financial interest 30% (208), 35% (209), 45% (250), Statoil 15% (208), 8.87% (209), 0% (250), Esso 10% (208), 5.91% (209), 0% (250), BP 45% (208), 0% (209), 9.44% (250), and Shell 25% (208), 15% (209), 16% (250).
