Norwegian upstream oil and gas player Vår Energi has achieved what it says is a significant milestone by recording a level of production sooner than planned.
The milestone of 400 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (kboepd) produced was achieved ahead of schedule, Vår Energi said, adding that the 430 kboepd level is expected to be achieved in the fourth quarter this year.
“This is a major achievement for the Company and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people in Vår Energi, our suppliers and partners. It demonstrates the strength of our operational capabilities and the momentum we are building as we continue to grow production,” said Nick Walker , Chief Executive Officer (CEO )of Vår Energi.
The Norwegian player elaborated that the higher-than-expected production level has been achieved as the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit Jotun at the Balder field continues to ramp up ahead of plan, with peak production expected next month. Other assets are also said to be contributing with strong deliveries.
FPSO Jotun was brought online in late June, extending the life of the first production license, PL001, on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The FPSO’s deployment is envisaged to increase the Balder field’s production by approximately 80 kboepd gross at peak.
Shortly before that, a final investment decision (FID) for the Balder Phase VI project was disclosed. Balder Phase VI will see the addition of one multilateral production well, installation of a new subsea template, and a flowline that will be tied into the FPSO Jotun.
Thanks to a connectivity upgrade, the unit recently became the first digitally enabled FPSO with edge computing onboard in the world, as disclosed by the technology provider Tampnet. This is expected to contribute to safer and more autonomous offshore operations at the asset.