Aker BP has brought its Symra subsea tieback in the North Sea online 9 months ahead of its original schedule.
The operator announced on 7 April the Symra field had begun flowing oil to the Ivar Aasen platform 7 km away.
Symra, which is expected to contribute about 63 million BOE to the Eiga area, was developed as the second subsea tieback to the Ivar Aasen platform. The Hanz tieback began production in 2024.
The Ivar Aasen platform is on the Utsira High in the northern part of the North Sea in 110-m water depth. Symra is one of three Utsira High projects that Aker BP put forth Plans for Development and Operation in December 2022. At the time, Aker BP expected to bring Symra online in the first quarter of 2027.
The larger Utsira High project includes three separate subsea tie-in projects. Solveig phase 2 and Troldhaugen, previously named Rolvsnes, are connected to the Edvard Grieg platform, while Symra (previously named Lille Prinsen) is tied-in to the Ivar Aasen platform. Solveig phase 2 began production earlier this year. According to Aker BP, the Troldhaugen discovery, expected to begin production in early 2026, is temporarily tied back to Edvard Grieg for test production.
Production from Symra will be partially processed at Ivar Aasen before final processing at Edvard Grieg. The Symra development comprises four wells tied back via a subsea template. Aker BP modified the Ivar Aasen platform to enable tie-in of the subsea infrastructure and the Edvard Grieg platform to increase its processing capacity.
TechnipFMC delivered the subsea systems. Moreld Apply carried out modifications on the Edvard Grieg platform, and Aibel performed the modifications on the Ivar Aasen platform. Odfjell Drilling and Halliburton handled drilling operations through Aker BP’s drilling and wells alliance.
In a press release, Aker BP CEO Karl Johnny Hersvik said the Symra project shows what’s possible through partnership.
“It’s also a step into a new part of the Eiga area and a new reservoir type on the Norwegian shelf,” he said.
Aker BP operates Symra in PL167, 167B, and 167C with 50% interest on behalf of partners Equinor with 30%, and DNO Norge with 20%.
Symra is the sixth Aker BP-operated project sanctioned in 2022 to come onstream.