Aker BP has started production from the first Aerfugl field Phase 2 well, 3 years ahead of the original schedule due to an available slot on one of Skarv’s subsea templates. Collaboration with Baker Hughes to reuse existing xmas trees was also “key to enable the accelerated phase 2 start-up,” said Tom Storvik, project manager for Aerfugl field development. The remaining two Phase 2 wells will come on stream in 2021.
Field development is planned in two phases. Phase one, which develops the southern part of the field, consists of 3 wells and is expected to start-up late this year. Phase two, in the northern part of the field, was originally planned for start-up in 2023. In June 2019, it was reported the first of the three wells planned for the second phase was to start in June of this year through use of existing infrastructure and that the other two wells were expected to start production in September 2021 (OGJ Online, June 4, 2019).
Aerfugl is primarily a gas reservoir that extends over 60 km and is 2-3 km wide holding a total of around 300 MMboe. All production will be tied into the Skarv FPSO for treatment, which lies 210 km west of Sandnessjøen in Nordland county. The gas will be transported to the Kårstø terminal in Rogaland through an 80-km pipeline connected to the Åsgard transport system.
In other areas, Aker BP has stopped all non-sanctioned projects as a response to the change in the market situation, including the Hod redevelopment project in Valhall which had been close to sanctioning.
Aker BP is operator at Ærfugl with 23.835% interest. Partners are Equinor (36.165%), Wintershall DEA (28.0825%), and PGNiG (11.9175%).
