Gassco, a Norwegian state-owned company and the operator for the integrated system for transporting gas from Norway, has informed that an extensive program for maintaining facilities on the Norwegian continental shelf has just been completed.
“The 2016 program on the NCS has been the biggest-ever in a single year,” Kristin Kinn Kaste , senior vice president for system operation at the company.
“This year’s maintenance operations involved a number of demanding activities,” reports Kaste.
“The turnaround at the Kårstø process plant was far-reaching, and involved the use of both alternative export routes and the coordinated shutdown of gas deliveries from a number of fields.”
She also notes that maintenance on Sleipner in the North Sea meant all gas from the Ormen Lange field in the Norwegian Sea had to be sent directly to Easington in the UK.
“Such operations call for extensive coordination and a good flow of information in order to optimize remaining production on the NCS and to minimize the consequences,” Kaste emphasizes.
Running from April 1 to September 30, the annual maintenance season in Norway’s petroleum sector calls for close collaboration with field operators, plants, transport system users, and downstream players, Gassco noted.
“There have been many revisions along the way, but the fruits of this work can now be seen. I’d particularly emphasis the good collaboration between all the parties involved.
“By drawing up long-term, efficient and integrated plans, we’re laying the basis for value creation in Norway and for ensuring secure gas deliveries to Europe.”