Norwegian oil company Statoil on Saturday, July 8, 2017 installed the first of eight topside modules at the Mariner field, offshore the UK.
The 10 000 tonne utility module was lifted into place by Saipem 7000.
Seven more modules and a flare will be installed, building the more than 38 000 tonne heavy Mariner topside.
Mariner, discovered in 1981 some 150 km east of the Shetland Islands, is one of the largest projects currently under development in the UKCS.
When Statoil and partners decided to develop the Mariner heavy oil field east of the Shetland Islands in December 2012, it was the largest capital commitment to the UK continental Shelf (UKCS) in more than a decade.
The development includes a production, drilling, and quarters platform based on a steel jacket, named Mariner A, with a floating storage unit, called Mariner B. Drilling will be carried out from the Mariner A platform, with a jack-up rig assisting for the first four years.
The license is operated by Statoil with 65.1 percent interest with partners JX Nippon, Siccar Point Energy, and Dyas owning 20, 8.9, and 6 percent interest, respectively.
Offshore Energy Today Staff / Video: Statoil