Aker Solutions delivers the steel frame for the world's first subsea gas compression facility to Statoil
Aker Solutions today delivered the steel frame for the world's first subsea gas compression facility to be installed at the Statoil-operated Åsgard field. The installation, set to come on stream in 2015, will enable the recovery of an additional 280 million barrels of oil equivalents, said in the company's press release.
The 1,800-tonne steel frame will in the next two weeks be installed on the Åsgard field seabed to form the base of the world's first subsea gas compression facility. It is the largest template manufactured by Aker Solutions, measuring 74 metres in length, 45 metres in width and 26 metres in height.
"The Åsgard project is a game changer for the entire industry," said Per Harald Kongelf, regional president for Aker Solutions in Norway. "The technology has the potential to change offshore gas field developments worldwide and I am very pleased that we have delivered this part of the project on schedule."
Reservoir pressure at gas-producing fields drops over time, reducing output. Gas compressors are used to raise the pressure and extend the life of a field. Such compressors have typically been installed on platforms over sea level. Placing the compressors on the seabed and near the wellheads improves recovery rates while reducing overall capital and operating costs. Subsea gas compression also leaves a smaller environmental footprint and is safer to operate than a platform.
The Åsgard subsea gas compression facility is set to go on stream in 2015 after two 11.5-megawatt compressors are installed. The facility will boost declining gas pressures at the Midgard and Mikkel satellite fields in the Norwegian Sea. The project is operated by Statoil and delivered by Aker Solutions.
