By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 7 -- The first production platform in South Pars Phases 6-8 field development in the Persian Gulf off Iran is scheduled to be ready for production in early 2005, reports Statoil AS, operator for Phases 6-8 on behalf of Iran's Petropars Ltd. (OGJ Online, Nov. 6, 2002).
Phase 6 kicked off Monday with the delivery of a 1,500 tonne jacket to the field, the first of three required for wellhead platforms in Phases 6-8. The platforms are expected to recover some 650 billion cu m of gas and 700 million bbl of condensate from the field.
In about 14 days, Dutch-based subcontractor Stolt Heavy Lifting Engineering BV, which is handling jacket installations, will attach the first jacket to the seabed in 65 m of water, said Rune Mordal, project manager for platform fabrication. Drilling of the first wells will begin in February.
The two other similar-sized jackets are nearing completion, with one due for deployment in late January or early February. Isoico (Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Co.) is performing engineering, procurement, construction, and installation of the jackets at the contractor's yard in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Iran's Sadra is fabricating topsides at Busher, Iran, under an engineering, procurement, and construction contract.
South Pars, the world's largest offshore gas field, extends from the Iranian sector into Qatari waters, where it is known as North field.
