Statoil has been granted consent for use of the subsea facility on Vigdis, with associated risers and pipelines, beyond the original design life, up to expiry of the production licence in 2024.
Vigdis is an oil field in block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea, between Snorre and Gullfaks, at a depth of 280 metres. The field has been developed with two subsea templates tied in to the Snorre A facility.
The development started in 1995, with a planned lifetime for facilities and equipment of 15 years. In 2010, the PSA granted an exemption from the consent provision, valid until 1 December 2013.
The field has later been expanded with new subsea templates and wells in 2002 and 2006, and another subsea template is under construction in 2012. In addition, prospects have been defined in the area which may be tied in to the existing infrastructure if discoveries are made.
Statoil, as the operator of the production licence, therefore applied for extended use of the subsea facility up to 2030. Consent may, however, not be granted beyond the duration of the production licence, which runs until 2024. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) has granted Statoil consent in accordance with this.
The consent is based on Statoil having had design life studies prepared for the subsea facility by external consultants. Statoil has considered the conclusions and recommendations in the reports vis-à-vis the regulations and other factors, and has concluded that the facility, given certain measures, can be operated prudently and in accordance with the regulatory requirements beyond the original design life.
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Press Release, November 22, 2012; Image: Statoil