OneSubsea to supply first all-electric boosting system to Equinor’s Vigdis field

OneSubsea, a Schlumberger company, has been awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract by Equinor for the first all-electric actuated subsea boosting system for the Vigdis field in the North Sea.

Schlumberger said on Monday that the scope of the contract included a pump station, with a manifold foundation and protective structure, and a pump module, topside equipment, umbilical, and all-electric controls with electric actuation.

Don Sweet, president of OneSubsea, said: “We are delighted to be working with Equinor on the successful long-term development of the Vigdis Field through the delivery of a subsea boosting system.

“Our field-proven boosting technology, including electric actuation, will deliver an increased level of digital monitoring and control—this will be a key enabler for increasing oil recovery and unlocking the field’s full production potential while reducing environmental impact.”

According to the company, work will begin in Bergen in December 2018, and the first delivery is scheduled for February 2020.

Equinor announced its decision to boost production at Vigdis by almost 11 million barrels through a investment of NOK 1.4 billion ($164.8M) in the field’s boosting station on December 5.

On the same date, Equinor awarded a contract to OneSubsea for a boosting system, including a subsea template and trawling protection worth NOK 700 million ($80.46 million).

Vigdis field

The Equinor-operated field Vigdis lies in block 34/7 in the Tampen area of the Norwegian North Sea and came on stream in 1997. In addition to the main structure, this field comprises the Borg Nordvest and Vigdis Øst structures. These began producing in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

The field was developed with subsea installations tied back to the Snorre A platform seven kilometers away for processing. Gas separated from the main Vigdis structure is injected into the Snorre field, while gas from Borg Nordvest and Vigdis Øst is piped from Snorre A to Statfjord A. Stabilized oil is transported by pipeline to Gullfaks A for storage and export.