Partial electrification of Sleipner approved

Equinor and partners received approval from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy for a revised plan for development and operation (PDO) for partial electrification of the North Sea Sleipner field center.

In June, Equinor and its partners Vår Energi, LOTOS, and KUFPEC submitted a revised PDO to the authorities (OGJ Online, June 9, 2020). The plan entails laying a new power cable from Sleipner to the Gina Krog platform, which will be tied into the area solution for power from shore on Utsira High by the end of 2022. Sleipner is expected to cut emissions by more than 150,000 tonnes/year of CO₂.

The Utsira High area solution was originally planned for Johan Sverdrup, Edvard Grieg, Ivar Aasen, and Gina Krog fields. Sleipner field center and Gudrun, Gina Krog, Utgard, Gungne, and Sigyn tie-in fields will also now receive power from shore through Utsira High.

In June 2020, Aibel was awarded the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning (EPCIC) contract for Sleipner modifications. The contract for production and laying of cables was awarded to the NKT cable supplier.

Equinor is operator of the Sleipner license. Partners are Vår Energi AS, LOTOS Exploration and Production Norge AS, and KUFPEC Norway AS.