Statoil installs Kvitebjørn topsides

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, May 19 -- Statoil installed the 11,000 tonne Kvitebjørn platform topsides on the field in the North Sea Friday, following a weather delay in April. The topsides are on a 220-m tall, two-section steel jacket, installed by the Saipem 7000 crane ship.

The drilling derrick and mud module also will be lifted immediately, followed by an extra living quarters module, the flare boom, and several smaller modules before hook-up and completion.

Production from Kvitebjørn, which contains about 55 billion cu m of gas and 22 million cu m of condensate, is slated for Oct. 1, 2004.