Equinor ASA expects operations at Hammerfest LNG plant on Melkoya Island in northern Norway to resume in the coming days following work to replace a compressor on which a minor fault was discovered, the company said in a release May 16.
The plant has been closed since a Sept. 28, 2020, following a fire on the air intake of one of its five gas turbines and start-up delayed multiple times, but the extensive repairs have been completed, and the process towards start-up continues, the company said (OGJ Online, Jan. 31, 2022). Start-up had been scheduled for May 17, 2022.
"Hammerfest LNG has been prepared for production, but we are taking the extra time necessary to safely resume operations," said Grete B. Haaland, Equinor's senior vice-president for onshore facilities.
The partnership includes Equinor Energy AS (operator), Petoro AS, TotalEnergies EP Norway AS, Neptune Energy Norway AS, and Wintershall Dea Norway AS.