Norway's state owned Den norske stats oljeselskap AS has hired a pioneering design well testing vessel (WTV) to begin a well test program in supergiant Statfjord field's Nord and Ost satellites in the Norwegian North Sea.
Green Sea Operations AS, a 50 50 venture of Halliburton Energy Services, Houston, and Norwegian shipowner Brovig Offshore, Stavanger, will conduct a series of well tests involving high rate, maximum sand free flows.
Green Sea will use the MV Crystal Sea WTV to test several subsea wells in the two satellite fields during a 3 year period. Terms aren't disclosed.
Crystal Sea, described as the first vessel of its kind, will receive drilling wastes and crude oil from fixed and floating offshore installations during well tests as an alternative to flaring produced fluids. That in turn will help oil and gas operators minimize a carbon dioxide tax the Norwegian government imposes on flaring during certain well test operations.
Crystal Sea, scheduled to be christened Oct. 8, is a dynamically positioned ship equipped with processing equipment to separate chemicals, water, residuals, and some gas from crude oil. The stabilized crude can then be transported to oil terminals.
In addition to saving the CO2 tax, operators employing the Crystal Sea may in many cases be able to offset the cost of the testing service with revenue from the captured crude, Halliburton said.
In Crystal Sea operations, Halliburton will provide project management and operation of the vessel services, while Brovig will provide daily vessel management.
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