By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 5 -- Norway's Statoil ASA reported that natural gas production from its semisubmersible floater Åsgard B platform in the Norwegian Sea is expected to remain shut down until mid-February because of damage to its flare system. Normal production from the platform is about 36 million cu m of export gas and 125,000 b/d of condensate and oil.
Statoil's inspection of the problem with the platform, which was discovered Jan. 19, identified a need to repair piping at the end of the flare boom, which had developed a leak, the company said. The leak has been plugged and the position "normalized," platform manager Rune Hansen said (OGJ Online, Jan. 21, 2003).
"The damage is not extensive," said Ola Krumsvik, operations vice-president for Åsgard. "But it is located 110 m over the platform's main deck and is difficult to access." The company went on to say that weather and waves could delay dealing with the platform's damage.
"The equipment required to carry out the repairs is currently being shipped out," Krumsvik said in late January.