By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Aug. 23 -- The failure of a weld in the Åsgard field has prompted Statoil ASA, Stavanger, to shut down the Åsgard B platform in the Norwegian Sea until mid-October and postpone test production from another field.
Earlier this year, Statoil discovered 72 weak welds in hubs on Åsgard field. It determined that only 24 of the welds had to be repaired. The flowline that leaked was one of those Statoil had considered unnecessary to repair.
Because of the incident, Statoil has decided to repair the remaining 48 welds on flowlines on the field.
Last week, Statoil said the leak from a gas flowline between Åsgard B platform and the Åsgard A ship prompted the temporary shutdown of Åsgard B and a reduction of production from Åsgard A (OGJ Online, Aug. 15, 2001).
Condensate production from Åsgard B amounts to about 45,000 b/d, while gas is dependent on customer nominations, said Statoil. Statoil said it intends to use the shutdown to review other systems.
Oil production on Åsgard A will be reduced to 145,000 b/d from 165,000 b/d as a result of the shutdown. Statoil did not give an estimate on when the vessel could return to full production.
It also said it would consider repairing four welds on the Statfjord north flank. Statoil will also postpone test production from Huldra platform for 14 days because it fears similar weaknesses in production tubing from three wells.
Statoil has initiated efforts to secure replacement gas supplies.