Norway's Aker Wins Troll, Askeladd Jobs

Norwegian contractor Aker Solutions said January 23 it has won contracts from Statoil to provide subsea production systems and services for the Troll Phase 3 and Askeladd gas field developments offshore Norway.

The contracts have a total estimated value of between NKr1.5bn and Nkr2bn ($190mn-$255mn) and will be booked in 1Q 2018; work starts this month with deliveries from 2Q 2019 until 2020, it said.

Troll in the North Sea contains about 40% of Norway's offshore gas reserves and is expected to continue producing for decades. Askeladd in the Barents Sea is expected to come on stream after 2020. It is 180 km from the Melkoya onshore plant near Hammerfest where gas will be processed. That is also where the Snohvit liquefaction unit is.  Askeladd will ensure full utilisation of that 4.1mn metric ton/yr Snohvit LNG export plant post-2021, as gas from the Snohvit offshore field itself declines.

Aker Solutions CEO Luis Araujo said it is expected to "generate significant synergies by building on our work on another major ongoing Statoil project, the delivery of the subsea production system for the Johan Castberg [oil] field in the Barents Sea." Aker will deliver subsea production systems consisting of two manifolds and nine trees for Troll, and two manifolds and four trees for Askeladd, plus support services for both.  Back in September 2017, Aker said it had won a contract from Statoil to design and engineer a module that will increase output from the giant Troll gas field.

Statoil said that Troll Phase 3 is scheduled to come on stream in 2Q 2021; partners in Troll are Statoil 30.58% and operator, state Petoro 56%, Shell 8.1%, Total 3.69% and ConocoPhillips 1.62%.

Partners in Askeladd are the same as for the Snohvit field, namely: Statoil 36.79% and operator, Petoro 30%, Total 18.4%, Engie E&P 12% and DEA 2.81%.