In a workshop at Mongstad, three bright yellow valve trees are ready to be shipped and installed on top of the wells on the Hanz field in the North Sea. They all look brand new; however, the massive steel structures have been in use for seven years on the now closed Jette field. This is the first time used production equipment has been moved between producing fields on the Norwegian continental shelf.

It’s not given that valve trees, or Christmas trees as they are usually called, are fit for reuse. The condition must be good enough, their specifications fit into a new field development, and not least the equipment must be available. When the project team considered development solutions for Hanz, they ticked all these boxes.

“The Christmas trees from Jette was available at the time when we considered various business cases for Hanz. They showed that we could save investment costs compared to new build, but just as important was that we could save time”, says Børge Skjevdal, Project Manager for the Hanz development.

“In addition, we achieve a positive environmental effect which is a motivation in itself. Production of steel and other raw materials for new builds entails emissions, and with equipment in this shape it is too bad to use it for nails”, says Skjevdal.

Better than new
Subsea production systems are usually designed to last for several decades. Therefore, the Christmas trees from Jette still had a long lifespan left when they were brought up from the seabed. OneSubsea’s department in Aberdeen has taken the equipment apart down to the smallest component to check that the condition is good. Gaskets and wearing parts have been replaced.

“By doing this we are absolutely sure that the equipment is as good as new, and perhaps even better”, says Børge Skjevdal. “These Christmas trees are already proven to be functional over time”, says Skjevdal.

The Christmas trees have now undergone the final preparation at PSW Technology in Mongstad, and are ready to be shipped to sea.

More reuse in the future
Reuse of equipment is not new to the oil and gas industry, but it’s mainly been done in drilling operations. For example, wellheads, BOPs and risers. This is equipment that is used for a relatively short period before both rig and equipment is moved to the next well. Equipment to be used in production must be installed for several decades. That’s one of the most important reasons for choosing to install new equipment.

Now we see a shift from large standalone developments to smaller marginal tie-ins to existing installations. Combined with an increased focus on cost savings leads to increased interest in reuse.

PSW Technology at Mongstad has actively positioned themselves towards this market, both through maintenance projects like Hanz, but also through speculation, explains Håvard Kallestad, SVP Operations and Business Development.

“We have secured some ‘lottery tickets’ in the recycling market. Simply bought some equipment that we can refurbish and prepare for resale to customers. Some of these purchases have already paid off in the form of sales”, says Kallestad.

“And we foresee more of this in the future, especially for heavier equipment such as Christmas trees, manifolds and well frames”, Håvard Kallestad says.

When the Øst Frigg Beta/Epsilon wildcat well reached its target depth, the team had drilled 8168 metres. As it made its way horizontally through the reservoir, the value of Yggdrasil increased metre by metre − in what is Norway’s longest ever exploration well. 

Preliminary calculations of the Øst Frigg Beta/Epsilon discovery show 53-90 million recoverable barrels of oil equivalents (link to the NPD notice). The overall resources in the Yggdrasil area have increased to more than 700 million barrels. 

«We’re talking about a total increase in resources of approximately ten percent. This means further improved profitability in the development and increased value creation from Yggdrasil. Many years of very good work over several years is behind this discovery from the team. I’m very proud of what we’ve just delivered,» says SVP Yggdrasil Lars Høier. 

Aker BP first reported the discovery on Thursday, 25 May. At that point, the drilling was nearly complete, and it was clear that the company had made a significant oil discovery. On Friday, the projected volume was increased further. 

Gas already produced 

Øst Frigg consists of two structures, Alpha and Beta. This is a gas discovery from the 1970s with ten metres of oil under the gas. The gas was produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Elf, while the oil remained untouched. 

«This means that we’ve got more than 250 million barrels of proven oil, yet to be produced, in the middle of an area we’re going to develop. We had to get to the bottom of this. Where had the oil gone?» asks Subsurface manager Tor-Ole Jøssund. 

The hunt for the Øst Frigg oil got started in early 2022. A sidetrack to Øst Frigg Alpha was drilled from the Grefsenkollen well. 

«The result showed a bit of oil on top, and some oil trapped under a barrier, but it was too spread out to recover. This wasn’t the result we were hoping for,» Jøssund says. The subsurface team worked out a plan to drill horizontally in Beta and also included Epsilon. 

The Øst-Frigg Beta/Epsilon wildcat well has a vertical main track and three horizontal sidetracks. The Scarabeo 8 rig started drilling in april. The first sidetracks were drilled in the Beta structure to prove oil and appraise the discovery. The sidetrack to Epsilon was the last one.  

Most of the Beta well was used to reach the Epsilon structure. The last casing was landed in the reservoir and drilling of the horizontal section towards Epsilon started. The results were promising, and the drilling continued towards the Gamma structure. Over a period of two weeks, the team drilled more than 6000 metres, openhole and horizontally, in the reservoir to collect geological data. 

Six kilometres in the reservoir 

The Øst-Frigg Beta/Epsilon wildcat well has a vertical main track and three horizontal sidetracks. The Scarabeo 8 rig started drilling in april. The first sidetracks were drilled in the Beta structure to prove oil and appraise the discovery. The sidetrack to Epsilon was the last one.  

Most of the Beta well was used to reach the Epsilon structure. The last casing was landed in the reservoir and drilling of the horizontal section towards Epsilon started. The results were promising, and the drilling continued towards the Gamma structure. Over a period of two weeks, the team drilled more than 6000 horizontal open hole metres in the reservoir to collect geological data. 

«Drilling six kilometres horizontally is a significant achievement. It requires precision and the ability to constantly assess risk against reward based on a continuous stream of data, as exploration wells have higher uncertainty than regular wells. We’re also doing this with a rig that’s new to Aker BP,» says Hanna Tronstad, drilling superintendent. 

The drilling operation was monitored around the clock from Aker BP’s new drilling operations centre in Trondheim. So-called geosteering allowed the team to optimise well placement in the oil-bearing layer. This is possible through using a resistivity map that was developed based on measurements from tools downhole. 

«And this is what makes this wildcat well unique. We’re able to process data quickly as we go during the operation, secure lessons learned and materialise the upside. We’re able to do this safely and efficiently based on high-quality planning and implementation. This record wouldn’t have been possible without a really good One Team mentality across departments in Aker BP. We succeeded through enormous determination in the team, good cooperation with suppliers, and particularly thanks to a solid subsurface department that challenge us,» Tronstad says. 

Collected valuable data 

Large volumes of data were collected while drilling the wildcat well. Along with a planned geopilot on Frigg Gamma Delta later this year, this will be very important in further well planning in the Yggdrasil development. 

«Now we’ve proven that we can drill horizontally in the Frigg formation, and that we can drill over very long distances. Aker BP is planning 55 wells in the Yggdrasil area. Drilling is scheduled to start in 2025, and we’ll be spending the years leading up to this ensuring efficient planning and implementation of the production wells, many of which are horizontal,» Tronstad says. 

Øst Frigg Beta/Epsilon is described in the plan for development and operation as potential additional resources for Yggdrasil. The Yggdrasil area has a significant degree of flexibility and is designed to be a hub for future discoveries and fields like this. Aker BP will now further mature the discovery. 

«Along with our partners Equinor and PGNIG Upstream Norway, we will continue to actively explore the area through additional exploration wells and appraisal wells over the next years,» concludes VP Exploration Olav Antonio Blaich. 

Following the acquisition of Lundin Energy, Aker BP was left with quite a lot of protective equipment that could no longer be used, for example due to aligning of standard products and oversupply. A decision was made to send this equipment to Helgeland Industrier, HIAS.

HIAS is a protected company that offers adapted work for people with mental or physical disabilities. 

HIAS provides a meaningful job, an inclusive environment and sense of belonging for people who might otherwise have missed out on having a career. 

Aker BP gave HIAS the assignment of removing the old logo and replacing it with a neutral patch. 

When the job is done, the protective suits and jackets will be donated to local vocational schools that provide training for mechanics, carpenters and other practical trades, along with other general protective gear. 

A software application helps the Energy Management Team and the offshore process control operators save energy at the Edvard Grieg platform by linking real-time production data with energy consumption information.

Instead of measuring energy consumption, the application uses algorithms and data models to calculate energy loss for every individual component at the process facility. Utilising this tool helps ensure optimal operations, while saving a considerable amount of energy. 

For 2022, the energy saved totalled around 4.2 GWh which equals the annual energy consumption of approximately 260 households. 

The application was developed in a cooperative effort between Aker BP and Honeywell. It runs on the existing software and hardware infrastructure, so no extra investments were necessary. 

Wellheads for exploration wells are usually used once before they are scrapped. In 2022, Aker BP conducted a feasibility study to evaluate the feasibility of reusing these wellheads. The study revealed no deviations from industry standards, nor legal issues in conjunction with reuse.

The main reason for using new wellheads for each exploration well is to maintain a high level of safety. However, historic fatigue data showed that 14 out of 17 wellheads had “used” less than 10% of its fatigue life for the most exposed component in the wellhead system.

Aker BP has an ambition of transitioning into a more circular economy by keeping products and materials like steel in the economy for longer. This helps reduce the strain on the environment from production of raw materials.

The project will help us secure access to equipment, reduce lead time and reduce cost. Estimates suggest that lead time could potentially be cut in half. We expect to install the first reused wellhead at the seabed sometime during 2023

Aker BP uses Baker Hughes MS700 wellhead system for exploration wells.

A subsea cable. That’s how we achieved by far the largest emission reductions in 2022.

Supplying Edvard Grieg and Ivar Aasen with electricity from shore allowed us to shut down two gas-powered generators. This enabled us to reduce our CO2 emissions by as much as 200,000 tonnes per year. 

Production from Edvard Grieg requires a great deal of energy, both electricity and in the form of heat. Until now, we’ve had two large gas turbines on Edvard Grieg to make sure we had plenty of electricity and heat for our own needs, as well as electricity for our neighbours on Ivar Aasen ten kilometres away.

The two platforms were prepared for full electrification all the way back when they were on the drawing board more than ten years ago, just waiting for an area solution to be put into place on the Utsira High. Once Phase 2 of the Johan Sverdrup development was completed last year, the subsea cable could be energised, and the turbines on Edvard Grieg could be shut down for good. 

These measures meant that we could achieve a formidable decrease in emissions, practically overnight. Converted into private car terms, this equates to emissions from more than 100,000 fossil fuelled cars. 

Significant work and investments have been dedicated to achieving this effect. In addition to the cables on the seabed, a process for qualifying the technology for electric boilers was also necessary. The process facility on Edvard Grieg needs heat supplied from two large boilers. This is the first time electric boilers have been used outdoors in an offshore environment. 

He was on board the day the power was switched on, and the generators were shut down. And that last bit has a great impact on the work on board. 

 

Today, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) awarded Aker BP a licence to connect the platforms in the Yggdrasil area to the power grid in Samnanger in Vestland County. The licence was granted pursuant to the Energy Act and the Ocean Energy Act. 

The power from shore system will provide a stable and secure power supply to the area, with low emissions, below 1 kg/CO2 per produced oil equivalent.   

The power from shore project is organised as a joint venture between Aker BP, Equinor and LOTOS Exploration & Production.  

The concept includes a new transformer station at Børdalen in Samnanger, a new 11-kilometre 145 kV powerline in Samnanger, a compensation station in Årskog in Fitjar and a 250-kilometre 145 kV sea cable from Samnanger to the Yggdrasil area in the North Sea. 

Aker BP sees it as an important social responsibility to contribute to the development of both new graduates, students and apprentices. The company therefore takes in apprentices every year and this year’s apprenticeships are now out. Being an apprentice provides an unique entry into the offshore industry. You get interesting experiences, varied skills, and become part of an inclusive working environment. Over the course of two years, the participants will complete their apprenticeship so that they can take their vocational certificate. The application deadline for this year’s apprenticeships is February 24th.

We have spoken to a handful of the apprentices who started with us in 2021, and the last one out is Elias Pedersen Jünger. He works as a logistics apprentice on the Ivar Aasen platform, 175 km from shore. Working with logistics can involve many different things. The days can consist of crane driving, receiving supply ships and being in control of all warehouses and equipment.

He thinks life as an apprentice has been very exciting and really appreciates all the people he has been working around who have welcomed him.

– I have a very good impression of Aker BP in general and all the people around me have been so kind. You slip right into the environment. It has been a whole experience in itself to experience offshore life. I didn’t think I would get to experience it, so I consider myself incredibly lucky, Elias says.

He mentions that the offshore rotation was something that takes some time to get used to and that both the work and free weeks were long. In addition, it is far from the shore and far from friends and family. In the beginning, it could be challenging to see that a lot is happening at home while you are out at work offshore. Working offshore is something that doesn’t suit everyone, but you get used to it and it got much better over time, Elias says. After almost two years in offshore rotation, he truly enjoys that way of working.

He also believes that another challenge that comes with long free periods is that you forget what you have learned from time to time.

– But then it’s important to be good at writing down what you learned while you’re out so you remember. Then it doesn’t take too long to get back into it when you get back out.

Elias will take his vocational certificate in August and the plan for the future is to continue working offshore. It can be difficult to get a permanent position offshore, but he is crossing his fingers and hoping that he can get hired, and then become a permanent employee in the long term.

– When it comes to applying for an apprenticeship at Aker BP, I would absolutely recommend that everyone do. If you see an advertised position, it would be almost too silly not to do it. You get so much out of it. All the experiences you get and all the people you meet. The whole experience in itself is worth it, he says.

The application deadline for this year’s apprenticeships is February 24th. Submit your application by using the links below.

Aker BP sees it as an important social responsibility to contribute to the development of both new graduates, students and apprentices. The company therefore takes in apprentices every year and this year’s apprenticeships are now out. Being an apprentice provides an unique entry into the offshore industry. You get interesting experiences, varied skills, and become part of an inclusive working environment. Over the course of two years, the participants will complete their apprenticeship so that they can take their vocational certificate.

Natalie Vehusheia Stensvand lives in Birkenes, northeast of Kristiansand. She works as an industrial mechanic apprentice at the Valhall field and started as an apprentice in September of 2021. She will finish in August this year after two years of apprenticeship. To be an industrial mechanics requires different tasks and skills. Some tasks can be screwing on pumps and motors in the production plant, machining, or welding. Some jobs might take a short time and are over in half an hour, while others can take several weeks. Everyday work offshore is therefore very varied.

When there are no major projects at Valhall, there are usually around 150 people on board. It is a large field with many people and a lot of things to get to know. But for Natalie, the apprenticeship at Valhall has nevertheless been a very positive experience.

– It is a large platform with many departments and many people, but everyone has been welcoming, especially within our department. We get along well, Natalie emphasizes.

At the same time, there are some challenges with working offshore. It took some time for her to get used to working in an offshore rotation, and she says that during her first time as an apprentice, she slept very little.

– It is a physically demanding profession, so it took a few months to get used to heavy work and long days with both lifting, screwing and pulling. You have to get a handle on it, but it gets easier with time when the body adjusts to it, she says.

Now she thrives in the offshore rotation. She likes intense work and therefore thinks that it fits greatly that the workdays are intense when it’s on, and then have complete time off in the meantime. Another advantage of offshore rotation is that you do not have to live very close to where you work. This means that Natalie has been able to live in Birkenes during her entire apprenticeship.

Another challenge she has experienced is that she is the only girl in her mechanical department. She says that it can be challenging at times, simply because they are different from each other. She also mentions that making mistakes and having to answer for them has been a challenge.

– I am someone who would very much like to do things right, and then it can be challenging to make mistakes. At the same time, it is an important part of the learning process and we have kind and good leaders who support us and find the root of the problem. It’s always fine to make mistakes, as long as you learn for later, says Natalie.

In addition to this, Natalie is clear that she is generally left with a very positive experience after completing her apprenticeship at Aker BP. She has also received a number of courses which give her an advantage when she goes out into the workforce after completing her apprenticeship. Among other things, she has taken a rigging course, a course in laser alignment, a valve course and a tube fitting course.

When she has gotten her certificate of apprenticeship in August, the plan is to try to get a permanent job at Aker BP, but she admits that she has to be flexible, as you can never know for sure what the situation in the company and the market will be towards the autumn. In any case, she wants to work offshore, and will work hard to get a permanent position when she has her certificate.

When asked if she would recommend taking the apprenticeship at Aker BP, she is very clear:

– If I were to choose again, I would undoubtedly have done the same, again and again and again.

The application deadline for this year’s apprenticeships is now approaching. Remember to submit your application before Friday 24 February. You can read more about the positions via the links below.