ProSep gets work on Aker BP’s new North Sea platform

Produced water solutions and technologies provider ProSep has secured a contract for produced water treatment on Aker BP’s new central processing and wellhead platform (PWP) in the North Sea off Norway.

After the Storting gave its stamp of approval for multiple projects, including the Valhall PWP-Fenris development on 5 June 2023, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy approved the developments on 28 June 2023. Aker BP has already awarded a number of contracts for these projects to alliance partners and other strategic suppliers with the total value amounting to tens of billions of kroner. 

Aker Solutions, Aibel, Subsea 7, and ABL Group are among the companies which received these contract awards. Recently, Aker BP marked the start of the fabrication phase for two oil and gas projects, including Valhall PWP, with the cutting of the first steel plates for these projects at Aker Solutions’ yard.

ProSep has now been hired to deploy its CTour technology to be used within the platform’s produced water treatment system for the Valhall PWP – Fenris project, which is part of Aker BP’s plans to modernise the Valhall field. This follows the initial installation of this technology on the first production platform in 2010.

According to the company, the CTour process equipment removes both dispersed oil and water-soluble organics through condensate injection into produced water streams – a process that can be implemented on any offshore platform, onshore gathering site, or production facility.

This latest contract award will enable ProSep to strengthen its position in Europe, and once again see the installation of the CTour process on a Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) platform. The Valhall field is situated in the southern part of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea and has been responsible for the production of over a billion barrels of oil equivalent since the field first opened in 1982.

Following investment that will see the revitalisation of facilities and the construction of new wells, Aker BP hopes to capitalise on the continued potential of the area. The Valhall PWP-Fenris development comprises a new centrally located production and wellhead platform linked to the Valhall field centre by a bridge and an unstaffed installation at Fenris that will be tied back to Valhall through pipelines on the seabed.

The development will use the existing power from shore system. New reserves from the development project are estimated at 230 million barrels of oil equivalent. The project will also secure a lifetime extension for Valhall past 2028. Valhall PWP is a 16,000-tonne production platform for the Valhall field that will be assembled at Stord. The 9,500-tonne steel jacket will be delivered from Verdal.

In addition, Sandnessjøen, Worley Rosenberg, and Nymo in Arendal will contribute to the construction work. The field developments encompass two unmanned platforms – Hugin B and Fenris – which will be delivered from Verdal, while Aibel will deliver the topside for Munin. 

Jacek Kacperski, ProSep’s Sales Manager for Europe, commented: “It’s great for ProSep to be involved with the development of the PWT system for the new Valhall platform. A full-circle moment, having successfully delivered on the first platform over ten years ago, this latest contract will allow us to implement our leading CTour process onto the new platform’s water treatment system.

“The CTour process will ensure clean produced water that is ready for discharge, and that meets the latest regulatory requirements in Norway. A leading field in the Norwegian Continental Shelf, ProSep is delighted to be involved on the Valhall platform.”