Neptune Energy and Wintershall DEA have lifted the 740-tonne topside module for the Nova development project in the Norwegian North Sea. Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir safely transported the topside module onto the Neptune-operated Gjøa platform in a 3-hr operation.
Wintershall operates Nova field. Duva and Gjøa P1 fields, both operated by Neptune, will also be tied-back to Gjøa. Neptune estimates Gjøa P1 recoverable resources at 32 million boe and expects the extension to produce at a maximum rate of 24,000 boe/d (OGJ Online, Feb. 21, 2019).
Wintershall is developing Nova field as a subsea tie-back, connecting two templates to the Gjøa platform (OGJ Online, May 22, 2019), with the newly delivered topside receiving production and providing water injection. The company expects production to begin in 2021.
Nova field, with estimated recoverable reserves of 80 million bbl, is 120 km northwest of Bergen, Norway, and 17 km southwest of the Gjøa platform in the Norwegian North Sea, at a water depth of 370 m. Its reservoir contains oil with a gas cap in Late Jurassic sandstone. Licence partners are Wintershall (operator 45%), Capricorn Norge AS (a fully-owned subsidiary of Sval Energi AS 10%), ONE-Dyas Norge AS (10%), Spirit Energy Norge AS (20%), and Edison Norge AS (15%).
Gjøa field is developed with five subsea templates tied to the Gjøa semi-submersible platform for processing and export. Production started in 2010, switching to low-pressure production in 2017. Oil is exported by pipeline to Mongstad, Norway, and gas by pipeline to St. Fergus, UK. Licence partners are Neptune Energy Norge (30% and operator), Petoro AS (30%), Wintershall (28%), and OKEA (12%).