Equinor has received regulatory approvals to proceed with the development of the Breidablikk field in the North Sea. The plan for development and operation for the $2.1-billion project was submitted to authorities in September. Production from the field is scheduled to start in the first half of 2024. Equinor and its partners Petoro, Vår Energi, and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia estimate recovery from the field at approximately 200 million bbl of oil.
“We are very pleased that the authorities have approved the development plans for the Breidablikk field,” said Arne Sigve Nylund, Equinor’s executive vice president for projects, drilling, and procurement. “The development of one of the largest undeveloped oil discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) will create substantial value for Norwegian society and the owners while securing high activity and jobs for many years ahead.”
The Breidablikk development will include 23 subsea, oil-producing wells tied into four subsea templates. Production will be tied back to the Grane platform for processing before the oil is piped to the Sture terminal. The development will also include a separate cable for the supply of electric power and fiber-optic communication from the Grane platform.
“There are still large resources left in the ground, and we have a world-class infrastructure on the NCS,” said Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for exploration and production Norway. “The Breidablikk development shows how a competent Norwegian petroleum industry keeps developing innovative, cost-effective, and future-oriented solutions with good social economy.”
Breidablikk will be phased in during a period of falling oil production from Grane and, therefore, will help maintain the platform activity level. The project has started the modification work on the Grane platform.
Aker Solutions has been awarded the contract for subsea production facilities. The contract covers the delivery of four subsea templates and up to 23 subsea trees and associated components. Project management and engineering will take place at Fornebu and Tranby, fabrication will be in Egersund, and a service organization will be at Ågotnes, all in Norway. In addition, there will be deliveries from the UK, Malaysia, and Brazil.
Wood has been awarded the contract for required modifications and upgrade of the Grane platform to be able to receive oil from the Breidablikk subsea facilities. The engineering work will be performed in Sandefjord and the fabrication will take place in Stavanger.
TechnipFMC has been awarded a contract for pipelaying and subsea installation services. The contractor will also deliver an umbilical for power, which is being produced in the UK.
Odfjell Drilling has been contracted and will use its semisubmersible rig Deepsea Aberdeen to drill the wells on Breidablikk. Schlumberger Norge has been awarded a letter of intent for integrated drilling and well services on the field.
