Aibel to provide field engineering study for Equinor’s Krafla field

Norwegian contractor Aibel has secured a contract to provide field engineering, concept optimisation, and definition study.

The contract was awarded by Equinor for its unmanned process platform at the Krafla field located offshore Norway.

According to Aibel, the main objective of the study is to further mature the concept with ‘tie-in’ to the Aker BP-operated host platform located in the North of Alvheim (NOA) area.

Krafla is one of several fields located between Oseberg and Alvheim in the North Sea. The partners in the licences are Equinor, Aker BP, and LOTOS Exploration and Production.

Equinor serves as the operator of the Krafla licence while Aker BP operates the NOA.

The Norwegian contractor said it would focus on making the design reliable and robust, with minimal maintenance needs, simplification of systems, as well as automation and digitisation.

Aibel Field Development and Offshore Wind executive vice-president Nils Arne Hatleskog said: “We are excited to become part of the new pioneering Askja/Krafla development.

“We see the award as a recognition of the unmanned facility capabilities developed within Aibel over the years, firstly within offshore wind substations, and now brought to a new level for unmanned process platforms, in an inspiring working relationship with Equinor.”

The study is carried out in the ‘concept and studies’ group in the Norwegian municipality of Asker and is currently underway. According to Aibel, the first phase will last until December.

Earlier this month, Equinor awarded Aibel a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for Norway’s Hammerfest LNG plant modification.

In February, Aibel secured work for the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for Equinor’s Bacalhau field offshore Brazil.