Equinor’s North Sea field duo to operate 34 years longer than expected

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Equinor consent to use the facilities on the Tordis and Vigdis fields, located in the North Sea off Norway, beyond the approved lifetime.

The consent granted by the NPD follows the one granted earlier this week by the offshore safety watchdog, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA).

The directorate said on Thursday that Equinor’s applications refer to the basis for continued safe and profitable operation of the fields after the consents expire in December 2019 and March 2024, respectively.

Tordis has secured consent until December 31, 2036 and Vigdis until December 31, 2040. This means that the facilities will operate for a total of 34 years longer than originally presumed, the NPD noted.

“Utilization of the facilities on Tordis and Vigdis beyond the original lifetime will contribute to increase value creation on the Norwegian shelf, and that’s good resource management,” said Arvid Østhus, Assistant director, Development and operations, Northern North Sea.

Equinor is the operator of both fields, which are located in production license 089 in the Tampen area in the northern part of the North Sea. Statfjord, Snorre and Gullfaks are the closest neighbors.

Tordis is developed with a central subsea manifold tied to the Gullfaks C platform. Seven separate satellite wells and two subsea templates are connected to the manifold. Vigdis is developed with seven subsea templates and two satellite wells which are tied to the Snorre A platform.

Tordis has produced since 1994, and a subsea multiphase pump was installed in 2007 to increase recovery from the field. Vigdis started producing in 1997, and the plan is to also install a subsea multiphase pump on this field in 2020.

Current licensees on both fields are Equinor, Petoro, ExxonMobil, Idemitsu Petroleum, and DEA Norge.

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