Statoil to develop Skrugard using floater, oil pipeline

Statoil and its partners have chosen a development concept for Skrugard field in the Barents Sea, featuring a floating production unit and a 280-km crude oil export pipeline. The companies will build an onshore oil terminal in Veidnes, Norway.

Skrugard, discovered in April 2011, will share infrastructure with the January 2012 Havis discovery, with both set to be tied to a semi-submersible FPU through a subsea production system in about 380 m of water. Storage at Veidnes will take place in two mountain caverns tied back to a berth for export via tanker. Statoil estimates 50-100 tankers/year will call on the terminal.

Statoil expects Skrugard to come on stream in 2018, with combined production between it and Havis totaling almost 200,000 boe/d. Statoil reports 400-600 million bbl of proven recoverable oil in the combined development.

The company holds a 50% operating share in Skrugard, with partners ENI (30%) and Petoro (20%). Skrugard is 7 km from Havis in Barents Sea blocks 7219/9 and 7220/4,5,7, about 100 km north of Snøhvit, 150 km from Goliat, and nearly 240 km from Melkøya.

Statoil plans to drill nine new Barents Sea prospects in 2013-2014, starting in the Skrugard area, where four new prospects will be drilled (OGJ Online, May 10, 2012).