ConocoPhillips Gets Clearance to Carry Out Subsea Ops at Eldfisk

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS (COPSAS) has received consent to carry out manned underwater operations in connection with construction of a new facility on Eldfisk field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

Eldfisk is an oil field in the Ekofisk area. Production started in 1979. Use of new technology has led to the field being able to produce for longer than originally assumed.

As a step in maintaining suitable infrastructure in the area, a new living quarters, wellhead and production facility with a gangway connection to the existing Eldfisk E facility will be built. The project also involves modifications in subsea pipelines and other modification work, for example in connection with tying in the Embla field to the new facility on Eldfisk.

The underwater operations will take place in three phases, the first from the end of May 2013. This will be followed by two new phases in May 2014 and April 2015.

The underwater work will be carried out by the Subsea7 contractor company. The work being carried out in 2013 will take place using DSV Seven Pelican, while the work in 2014 and 2015 will be carried out with DSV Seven Havila.

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has now granted its consent for these activities. The consent is contingent upon COPSAS giving the PSA an update of planned operations well before starting the diving activities in 2014 and 2015.