Norway’s oil and gas company Aker BP has kicked off production from three fields in the Norwegian Sea, bringing the developments on stream a year ahead of schedule and adding around 120 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent to the resource base on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).
Aker BP has begun production one year ahead of the original schedule from the Skarv Satellite project (SSP), which comprises the Alve Nord, Idun Nord, and Ørn fields located near the Skarv field in the northern part of the Norwegian Sea. The fields have been developed as three separate subsea developments, with each consisting of a subsea template and two wells tied back to the FPSO Skarv.
Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Aker BP, commented: “The start-up of the Skarv Satellites is an important milestone for Aker BP. Through a single integrated project, we have brought three new fields on stream, one year ahead of the original schedule. This demonstrates what we can achieve through close collaboration between our employees, alliance partners and suppliers. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed.
“The Skarv Satellites strengthen one of our most important production areas and will generate significant value for many years to come. With the start-up of SSP, we have now delivered the entire portfolio of subsea tie-back projects sanctioned in 2022. The projects have been delivered safely, with high quality and strong cost control, and on or ahead of schedule. This is an achievement that the entire organisation and our partners can be proud of.”
The company emphasizes that these developments, which represent approximately 120 million barrels of oil equivalent of recoverable resources, support further value creation by increasing flexibility and extending the life of the infrastructure around Skarv. According to the Norwegian operator, the field trio has a low CO2 intensity of about 4.5 kilograms of CO2 per barrel of oil equivalent thanks to effective utilization of existing infrastructure.
The project has been executed using Aker BP’s alliance model, in close cooperation with suppliers and alliance partners, including OneSubsea, Subsea7, Aker Solutions, and Halliburton, as well as Saipem during the drilling phase.
The operator highlights that shared infrastructure and coordinated project execution have enabled efficient resource utilization across the three developments, with around 60% of project deliveries sourced from Norwegian suppliers, contributing to significant regional economic activity.
After plans for development and operation (PDO) were submitted for multiple oil and gas projects on the NCS in December 2022, approval came in June 2023. The total investment framework for the Skarv Satellite project’s three separate seabed developments was estimated at approximately NOK 17 billion (nearly $1.57 billion).
The start-up of production was anticipated in the third quarter of 2027 with an estimated production period of six to ten years. The license partners in Alve Nord (PL 127C) are Aker BP (operator, 58.1%), Harbour Energy (20%), Orlen Upstream Norway (11.9%), and JAPEX Norge (10%).
The Idun Nord (PL 159D) license partnership consists of Aker BP (operator, 23.8%), Equinor (36.2%), Harbour Energy (28.1%), and Orlen Upstream Norway (11.9%). Regarding Ørn (PL 942), the license partners are Aker BP (operator, 30%), Orlen Upstream Norway (40%), and Equinor (30%).
Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of Orlen, remarked: “By bringing the Idun Nord, Alve Nord and Ørn fields on stream, we are unlocking additional natural gas volumes for Poland, strengthening the energy security of the country and the wider region. Together, these three fields will provide ORLEN with more than 4 billion cubic meters of natural gas. This is particularly important at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, which underscore the importance of stable and diversified sources of supply.
“Thanks to the excellent cooperation with our partners, we have developed the three fields as part of an integrated project, reducing costs and shortening the schedule, with production starting one year earlier than originally planned. Under current circumstances, this is not only an operational success but also a significant reinforcement of security of supply for Poland and the wider region.”
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