Statoil and its partners have submitted a development plan for the Rutil discovery in the North Sea’s Gullfaks Rimfaks Valley.
The development will expand production from the Gullfaks A platform, providing approximately 80 million barrels of oil equivalent.
It will be located in a water depth of around 135m, 3,200m below the seabed, with an estimated life span of 15 years.
The plan for development and operation (PDO) includes the installation of a standard subsea template with two simple gas production wells.
It also includes the potential to connect two additional wells. The well stream will be linked to an existing pipeline leading to the Gullfaks A platform.
Gas and condensate will be transported to the gas processing facility at Kårstø, north of Stavanger. The processed gas is transported to European markets.
The development is expected to cost NOK4.6bn ($613m) and production will start in the first quarter of 2017.
Statoil operates the development with a 51% stake. The company’s partners include Petoro and OMV, with 30% and 19% interests, respectively.
Statoil senior vice-president for the operations west cluster in development and production Norway Kjetil Hove said: "Production from the Gullfaks Rimfaks valley helps secure jobs and value creation from the Gullfaks field and throughout the whole value chain beyond 2030."
The Gullfaks Rimfaks Valley is Statoil’s 12th fast-track project that intends to realise resources quickly and cost-effectively.
Image: Statoil senior vice-president for the operations west cluster in development and production Norway Kjetil Hove. Photo: courtesy of Harald Pettersen.