DEA Files Dvalin (Zidane) Plan
Russian-owned German independent DEA announced October 3 it has submitted its plan for development and operation (PDO) for the Dvalin gas field – previously named Zidane – to Norway’s petroleum ministry. It will be the first DEA-operated development in Norway.
The plan foresees production of 18.2bn m3 of gas from two reservoirs, at a development cost of €1.1bn, with first production in 2020. The field was discovered in 2010.
Dvalin will be developed with a four wells subsea template, which is connected to the Heidrun platform. At Heidrun, the gas will be partly processed in a new module, before the gas is transported in a new export pipeline to Polarled, for processing at the Nyhamna onshore gas terminal in mid-Norway whence it will be exported to the European market.
Artist's impression of the Dvalin development in the Norwegian Sea (Photo credit: DEA)
DEA CEO Thomas Rappuhn said: “The Dvalin development will contribute significantly to DEA’s ambition to further grow our business in Norway.” The company said it had reduced costs by more than 20% since planning for the Norwegian Sea project began.
DEA operates PL435 (including Dvalin) with a 40% share; partners are EDF-owned Italian firm Edison and Denmark's Maersk Oil (each 20%), with OMV also holding 20% that it is currently selling to Norwegian state Petoro; the development is subject to the approval from the Norwegian authorities.
Real Madrid football manager Zinedine Zidane (Photo credit: Walterlan Papetti)
It’s an established tradition in PL435 to take field-names from Norse mythology. Thus nearby Heidrun is named after the goat that grazes on the roof of Valhalla; Yggdrasil is an immense ash tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse mythology; and Dvalin is one of four stags that graze off the leaves of Yggdrasil. Zinedine Zidane is a former French football star who now manages Real Madrid.
Mark Smedley