Norwegian engineering and contracting firm Aker Solutions has developed a modified workover system to enable safe well access for subsea installation and completion.
The system also enables faster, cost-effective planned interventions.
Aker Solutions noted that the new workover concept will first be applied on Norwegian firm Equinor’s Visund field in the northern part of the North Sea. The field has a water depth of 335m.
The field has 23 Aker Solutions subsea trees installed.
In a press statement, Aker Solutions said: “The operational concept entails delivering Aker Solutions’ multiWOS system by vessel and landing the system on either a subsea platform or a well. The vessel then extracts, and the rig picks up the stack and commences the intervention campaign.
“The mobilisation of the workover system can be executed well in advance of the intervention activities, hence the operator will have more flexibility both before and after operations, as the system can be parked subsea.”
The workover systems also enable safer well access for enhanced production, as well as well plugging and abandonment.
According to the company, the workover system and associated equipment will be delivered next year to carry out intervention operations on Visund field.
Aker Solutions Norway Subsea Lifecycle Services vice-president Andreas Kraabøl said: “This project has been a joint collaboration between Equinor and Aker Solutions from the start.
“The new intervention concept is faster, more cost-effective and safer than traditional workover systems.”
Last week, Aker Solutions secured a contract from Subsea 7 to deliver umbilicals for Murphy Oil subsidiary Murphy Exploration and Production’s King’s Quay development in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
