Project Profile
Value: US$19,200 million
Location: Norwegian Continental Shelf Eldfisk, Alpha and Bravo Block 2/4-2
Water Depth: 80 m
Start-up Year: 2014
The Ekofisk area development had eight oil and gas fields: the Cod, Ekofisk, West Ekofisk, Tor, Albuskjell, Eldfisk, Edda and Embla. The infrastructure consisted of 27 permanent installations, ten of which were located in a central Ekofisk complex. In December 1993 Phillips Norway submitted a Nkr20bn (US $ 2.4 Billion) expansion plan to bring oil and gas to market until 2028. This included:
• Taking the northern part of the complex out of production
• Refurbishing platforms 2/4C, 2/4Q, 2/4FTP and 2/4W
• Constructing two new platforms at the Ekofisk complex
Water flooding is to continue from 2/4W, while 2/4H will remain as the hotel platform. In March 2009 ConocoPhillips was granted permission for use of the Mærsk Innovator for drilling eight injection wells on the Ekofisk 2/4VA.
A new accommodation facility, Ekofisk 2/4L came into service in 2013 and replaced Ekofisk 2/4H and Ekofisk 2/4Q.
Ekofisk 2/4 J became the central platform in the Ekofisk area. When 2/4 J became fully operational, a number of platforms started to be decommissioned.
DECOMMISSIonING PHASE:
Platform Removal Sequence
• Pre 2009: 2/4T topsides, satellite flares
• 2009-2013: COD 7/11A, Albuskjell 1/6A , Albuskjell 2/4F , Vest Ekofisk 2/4D , 2/4R , 2/4P, Edda 2/7C, 2/4W, 36/22A, 37/4A
• Next phase starting 2015: 2/4A, 2/4B, 2/4H, 2/4Q, 2/4FTP, Tor 2/4E
ConocoPhillips contracted Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland BV (HMC) for the decommissioning, removal and disposal/recycling of 9 platforms. The work was scheduled from 2008-2014 and comprised the following platforms in the Ekofisk field: EKOP, EKOR, ALBA, ALBF, EDDA, COD, EKOD, EKOW, EKOQ Topsides, EKOT crane and South Leg. Also, the two Norpipe Booster platforms, 37/4A and 36/22A in the UK sector, have been removed under the contract.
All removal work executed under the contract was carried out by the SSCV Hermod, SSCV Thialf and DCV Balder.
The Project is generally split into 4 phases:
• Phase 1 is Platform Surveys by helicopter
• Phase 2 is Platform Make Safe (+Hook down preparations)
• Phase 3 is Topsides Removal and Disposal
• Phase 4 is Jacket Removal and Disposal
During the phase 3 topsides removal, inspections and preparations were performed for the phase 4 jacket removal. The jacket weights vary between 3000 and 9000 mT and have been removed according the Single Piece Jacket removal methodology. All platforms have numerous topsides varying between 6 and 16 per platform. The topsides weight varies between 100 and 2000 mT, all topsides have been removed according the reversed installation methodology.
In June 2016, BP Norge received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) to remove the top deck of the Ekofisk 2/4-G platform. The activities are scheduled to start the same month. The 2/4-G platform was installed in 1982 and taken out of service as part of Ekofisk II in 1998. Both the removal and impact assessment plan was approved by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in December 2015.
Operators:
ConocoPhillips: Operator with 35.11% interest
Total: 39.9% interest
Eni: 12.9% interest
Statoil: 7.60% interest
Petoro: 5% interest
Contractors:
AF Offshore Decom: Decommissioning work
Acergy Norway AS: EPC for installation of pipeline
Aibel UK: Engineering, procurement, construction and installation services for the 2/4L accommodation platform. The company also connected the platform to the Ekofisk complex. (July, 2010)
Aker Solutions: FEED Ekofisk platforms 2/7S and 2/7N, and EPC topside module for Ekofisk 2/4Z platform
- Building the platform jacket and a bridge support jacket for 2/4L accommodation platform.
Aker Verdal: Build the jacket and the utility module for Ekofisk 2/4 J and the jacket for Ekofisk 2/4X.
Alfa Laval: Supply fresh water generators to an oil platform
Bergen Group: FEED for accommodation Platform Deck with Ramboll, framework agreement for maintenance for modification of Greater Ekofisk Area as well as modifications and replacement of the waste heat recovery unit
Bjorge ASA: Repair, overhaul and test pumps for the Ekofisk field
Cameron: Supply of wellheads and christmas trees
CTC Marine: Seismic cabling
CGGVeritas: Seismic data acquisition and processing
CB&I: Pre-FEED/Preliminary Design & Engineering
Claxton Engineering Services: Support system for conductor casing
DOF Subsea: Debris removal work
Dragados Offshore: EPC – For 2/4Z wellhead jacket
DeepOcean: EPC for subsea construction work
FMC Technologies: Subsea equipment and services.
- Project management, engineering, construction and delivery contract for a new water injection platform. (June, 2008)
Heerema: Engineering, offshore preparation, removal and onshore recycling of nine platforms
J P Kenny Norge AS: FEED for water injection lines, flowline & pipeline
Leirvik Emtunga: FEED for utility and accommodation
Master Marine AS: EPC for accommodation Jack-up
Maersk Drilling Norge A/S: Drilling contractor
Mustang Engineering: FEED for Ekofisk 2/4Z
Odfjell Drilling: Casing & tubing running/pulling services
OSM Offshore: \'Haven\' jack-up living quarters
Saipem SpA: EPC - Installation of two platforms
Seawell: Maintenance - Platform drilling and maintenance
SembCorp Marine (subsidiary of SMOE): EPC – Construction of accommodation topsides
Seadrill: Construction of jack-up drilling rig
Subsea 7: EPC contract
Technip Norge A/S: EPC - Subsea water injection project
Wavefield Inseis ASA (Now CGG Veritas): Ocean bottom seismic sensor system (OBM)
Kvaerne: EPC contract for Eldfisk 2/7 S topsides in its yard at Stord
Archer: Platform drilling services contract with ConocoPhillips for the US operator’s Greater Ekofisk Area project off Norway until 2020
Rosenberg WorleyParsons: Engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for ConocoPhillips’ capacity increase project on the Ekofisk Complex in the Norwegian part of the North Sea. The contract value is estimated to 167 million AUD (US$145.8 million). The project will be executed from the company’s Stavanger facilities in Norway.
Amec Process and Energy: Build the module support frame and the process module for Ekofisk 2/4 J.
Umoe Haugesund: Build the separation module for Ekofisk 2/4 J and topsides for Ekofisk 2/4X.
Dresser Rand (Norway): Build the generators for Ekofisk 2/4 J.
Nouvo Pigone: Build the turbines for Ekofisk 2/4 J.
Hitec / Dreco : Build the drilling module for Ekofisk 2/4X.
Seawell Management AS: A contract to carry out maintenance services on Ekofisk 2/4K and 2/4X platforms. The contract also covered maintenance services for the Eldfisk 2/7A and 2/7B. (January, 2010)
WGP Group: Contract to provide long term seismic acquisition services to ConocoPhillipsSkandinavia AS. WGP will acquire seismic data sets on the Ekofisk field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Theseismic acquisition contract has an initial fiveyear term. (December 2015)
Bilfinger: a 9-year long maintenance services frame agreement. (August, 2016)
Heerema Marine Contractors: Ekofisk platform removals
Sub-Contractor:
Bergen Group: Subcontractor services connected to decommissioning and disassembly of topside structures on the Ekofisk.
Grenland Group: EPC awarded by FMC Technologies, for the construction of subsea equipment for the new water injection platform.
Reef Subsea: Subsea construction contract awarded by Heerema
AF Decom: onshore recycling and disposal of material. (2014)