StatoilHydro stops Ormen Lange gas production

Nov. 30, 2007
Natural gas production from Ormen Lange field, the largest gas field in development on the Norwegian Sea's continental shelf, has stopped because of a gas leak in the export compressors.

Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Nov. 30 -- Natural gas production from Ormen Lange field, the largest gas field in development on the Norwegian Sea's continental shelf, has stopped because of a gas leak in the export compressors. Ormen Lange, which lies 120 km northwest of Kristiansund, holds 397 billion cu m of proved gas reserves.

Field operator StatoilHydro AS expects production to resume Dec. 2 after it has carried out an inspection and repair work.

Gas from Ormen Lange is transported to the UK via the 600-km southern leg of the Langeled pipeline, which is expected to supply as much as a fifth of the UK's gas needs at full capacity rates. The field, expected to supply 70 million cu m/day of gas and 50,000 b/d of condensate at peak rate, will position Norway as the world's second largest gas exporter after Russia. Gas can also be transported to European markets after it has been processed at the Sleipner hub.

The partners expect to produce gas from 24 subsea wells on the field and Royal Dutch Shell PLC will assume operatorship on Dec. 1.

Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].