Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Johan Sverdrup News

18 Apr 2023

Norway Crude Mops Up in Europe as Russia's Urals Heads East

Johan Sverdrup - Photo credit: Lizette Bertelsen and Jonny Engelsvoll - Equinor

The clear winner in the race to replace Russian oil at Europe's refineries is Norway's Johan Sverdrup crude, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and traders.Johan Sverdrup was launched in 2019, making it a relative newcomer compared to Russia's Urals grade.Initially sold mostly to Asia, an EU ban on Russian seaborne oil imports imposed in December has opened up the European market where the medium sour grade has become a primary feedstock for refiners in countries such as Germany…

21 Mar 2023

US Oil Exports to Europe Hit Record in March

© Kyle / Adobe Stock

U.S. crude exports to Europe have hit a record 2.1 million barrels per day on average so far this month, spurred by wide discounts to the global benchmark and weaker oil demand by U.S. refineries.Record exports to Europe and China this month reflect the rise of United States in crude oil trade and solidifies its role supplying Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.A holiday freeze knocked out operations at a dozen U.S. refineries, increasing scheduled plant maintenance and reducing crude oil demand that widened U.S.

23 May 2022

Aibel's Yard in Thailand Wraps Work on Dogger Bank A Topside

Credit: Aibel

Norwegian engineering and construction firm Aibel's yard in Thailand has completed the construction of the Dogger Bank A wind farm substation topside, in what is the first ever HVDC converter platform exported from Thailand.Loaded on a BigLift heavy transportation vessel, the topside is now en route to Haugesund, Norway where further equipment will be installed ahead of the installation at its final offshore location at what will be the world's largest offshore wind farm, the Dogger Bank…

17 May 2022

Seaborne Oil a Lifeline as German, Polish Refiners Swerve Russian Supply

© Horst Schmidt / Adobe Stock

Seaborne oil has thrown a lifeline to refiners in eastern Germany and Poland, with non-Russian deliveries into the Polish port of Gdansk hitting at least seven-year highs this month as they switch away from Russian supply.Imports booked for May into Gdansk from Egypt, the United States, Norway, Britain and West Africa had hit 8.4 million barrels by May 16, their highest level according to Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data that goes back to 2015.At the same time, Russian crude booked for May into Gdansk and the port of Rostock stood at 700…

13 Apr 2022

Edward Heerema – Dutch Courage with Single-minded Focus

“A new challenge is the installation of big windmills. Big windmills today are 13 MW, 14MW. They are going up to 15 MW and people talk about 20 MW, so we have developed a system that can handle up to 20 MW. By weight it’s nothing, but in terms of technical challenge, it’s very interesting because the windmills are very big, the blades are extreme sizes and installation is at enormous heights. We think Pioneering Spirit is a big vessel, but if you take the biggest windmill of the future, she is t

Edward Heerema is founder and president of Allseas, which brought the world’s largest construction vessel, Pioneering Spirit, to the market. The company, which also brought innovation to the pipelay sector, has added its latest trick to Pioneering Spirit – its jacket lift system. But Allseas is also targeting deepsea mining and has its sights on the offshore wind market. Elaine Maslin caught up with Edward Heerema to find out more.The first time I met Edward Heerema was at the company’s offices in Delft, in the Netherlands.

07 Jan 2022

New Management at Aibel's Haugesund Yard

(Photo: Aibel)

Norway;s Aibel has announced a pair of leadership appointments at its yard in Haugesund.The company said Friday that Lars Inge Hellestveit will take up the role of vice president of yard operations, joined by Hans Jørgen Alfsen as the yard's new fabrication manager. Both will enter the new roles with immediate effect.Hellestveit comes from the position as project manager for the upgrade of the Njord Bravo floating storage unit (FSU), while Alfsen has been construction manager on the second processing platform for Johan Sverdrup…

07 Jan 2020

Norwegian PM Opens Johan Sverdrup Field

Norway's prime minister Erna Solberg has opened the Johan Sverdrup field center, and the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Sylvi Listhaug, also attended the opening.Since Equinor and the Johan Sverdrup partners Lundin Norway, Petoro, Aker BP and Total started the field on 5 October last year, production has increased to a level well above 300,000 barrels per day.Johan Sverdrup is expected to yield a total production revenue exceeding NOK 1 400 billion and more than NOK 900 billion in revenue to the Norwegian state.Expected recoverable Johan Sverdrup reserves are 2.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Two thirds of the oil from Johan Sverdrup are expected to be produced before 2030.The field is setting a new standard for CO2 efficiency.

27 Dec 2019

Offshore Energy Outlook for 2020

Equinor’s Hywind Tampen project will use floating wind turbines to provide power to the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas production facilities.  (Image: Equinor)

The “new normal” is a phrase tossed around often in offshore energy circles today as those servicing and operating in the sector grapple with the harsh realities of the prolonged industry downturn. Operators, service companies and equipment suppliers have been forced to adjust to oil selling at prices well below the $100+ per barrel mark seen in years past. As of this writing, Brent oil was hovering around $62 per barrel, and analysts expect prices will remain in this range for some time into the future.On top of this…

12 Dec 2019

Norway's Oil Production Up in November

Norway's preliminary production figures for November 2019 rose in November from the previous month, beating official forecast by 13.2%, said the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).The average daily production stood at 2,016,000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate in November, which is an increase of 235,000 barrels per day compared to October.Total gas sales were 10.0 billion Sm3 (GSm3), which is an increase of 0.6 GSm3 from the previous month.Average daily liquids production in November was: 1 711 000 barrels of oil, 277 000 barrels of NGL and 28 000 barrels of condensate.Oil production in November is 13.2 percent higher than the NPD's forecast…

19 Mar 2019

Pioneering Spirit Gets a Scrub Down

Pioneering Spirit (Photo: Hull Cleaner)

The world's largest vessel, Pioneering Spirit, received a robotic hull cleaning during a recent port call in Rotterdam.The Allseas owned multipurpose vessel, which is on a temporary break from Nord Stream 2 pipelaying activities, made a stop in Rotterdam to prepare for upcoming topsides lift works at the giant Johan Sverdrup project offshore Norway. While in port, a robotic Fleet Cleaner vehicle cleaned the 382-meter-long vessel's hull despite stormy weather, cold temperatures and wind force 7 Bft.

06 Mar 2019

Pioneering Spirit Shifts to the North Sea

Pioneering Spirit transports the drilling platform topsides for Equinor’s Johan Sverdrup development (Photo: Allseas)

The world's largest heavy lift and pipelay vessel, Pioneering Spirit, will take a temporary pause from Nord Stream 2 pipelaying activities in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone to perform planned platform lift work in the North Sea.The Allseas-owned vessel, which in 2018 installed the 22,000 t drilling platform topsides for Equinor’s Johan Sverdrup development on the Norwegian continental shelf, will now return to the field to install the 26,000 t processing platform topsides and the 18,000 t living quarters platform topsides.

08 Feb 2019

Aker Solutions Revenues Up 8%

Luis Araujo, CEO, Aker Solutions

Aker Solutions reports Q4 2018 revenue of $813 million, an 8% rise compared to Q4 2017 powered by “significant international awards in a competitive, but improving market.” In total, order intake for the quarter was $615.6 million, leaving the company with an order backlog of more than $4 billion. Better still, looking forward the company sees “continued signs of a recovery in the global market” with approximately $5.2 billion worth of contracts currently in the bid phase.In analyzing the results…

19 Dec 2018

SHI Delivers Johan Sverdrup Offshore Platform On Schedule

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has successfully completed the processing platform (P1) for Johan Sverdrup Field development and delivered it to Equinor according to the scheduled delivery date stated in the original contract.SHI has secured Contract worth 650 billion won ($ 5.84m) from a Norwegian energy company Equinor in 2015 to build the large oil production platform, measuring 136m long, 69m wide and 72m high, and weighing 28,100 tonnes.Reflecting the ‘Lessons Learned system’ developed from its previous experiences in large-scale offshore projects such as Shell Prelude FLNG, Egina FPSO, etc., SHI has been able to minimize potential risks in advance…

23 Oct 2018

Kvaerner Eyes Growth, Mergers as Profits Decline

Kvaerner, a Norwegian builder of oil platforms, aims to increase its revenue by some 40 percent by 2022 by expanding abroad, the company said on Tuesday after reporting a sharp decline in third-quarter earnings that drove down its shares.Kvaerner's quarterly earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell to 76 million crowns ($9.19 million) from 245 million crowns a year ago."In a period where some recently awarded projects are not yet recognising margin and with less effects from milestones and incentives in other projects, this influences EBITDA and margins, as ex

13 Sep 2018

Aker BP CEO Predicts Fast Johan Sverdrup Ramp-up

Illustration / TRY courtesy Equinor

Aker BP, a partner in Norway's giant Johan Sverdrup oilfield, expects a fast ramp-up of production when the initial development phase ends in late 2019, its chief executive said on Thursday."I think it will be done in a few months, because the production per well is so high," Karl Johnny Hersvik told Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference.Johan Sverdrup Phase 1 will have capacity to produce 440,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day (boed), while the second phase, starting production in 2022, is expected to further boost output to 660,000 boed.Sweden's Lundin Petroleum, another partn

28 Aug 2018

Equinor to Boost Drilling to Extend Norwegian Shelf Life

Photo: Harald Pettersen / Equinor

Oil producer Equinor aims to boost the recovery rate from its Norwegian fields to well above the global average to extend production from the mature basin beyond 2030.Equinor announced plans on Tuesday to drill up to 3,000 wells offshore from its native Norway in coming decades - almost as many as it has drilled since its startup in 1972 - to mitigate declining output from older fields, and extend the production lifetime of more than 20 installations.The company said it remained on track for to keep profitable oil and gas production in Norway towards 2030…

24 Aug 2018

Alcatel Submarine Networks Bags Contract from Equinor

Digital technology developed in Norway will help improve recovery from the Johan Castberg field in the Barents Sea.Equinor has awarded Alcatel Submarine Networks a contract for permanent reservoir monitoring (PRM), which in turn has signed a letter of intent with Nexans Norway AS for delivery of subsea cable.“PRM is a central element of the digital strategy for Johan Castberg and will be an important tool in improving the Johan Castberg recovery rate,” says Johan Castberg project director Knut Gjertsen.The technology is developed in Norway, and the contract is awarded by exercising an option in the framework agreement on PRM that we…

13 Aug 2018

Aker Solutions Bags Work On Johan Sverdrup Offshore Norway

Aker Solutions has, in collaboration with Kvaerner, secured additional hook-up and commissioning work for Equinor's Johan Sverdrup field offshore Norway.Equinor has exercised an option in the Johan Sverdrup Riser platform hook-up contract  awarded in January 2017 for Aker Solutions to perform hook-up and commissioning assistance of the field's utility and living quarter platform, as well as the preparatory offshore work connected with the phase two modifications of the riser platform."We are delivering well and on schedule on the hook-up work that we are currently performing on the Johan Sverdrup field," said Knut Sandvik, EVP Projects at Aker Solutions.

08 Jun 2018

New Oil Discovered in the North Sea

Map Lille Prinsen discovery (Photo: Equinor)

Equinor and partners Lundin and Spirit Energy have struck oil in the PL 167 licence at the Utsira High in the North Sea.The discovery is currently estimated to contain 15-35 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.“We are very pleased to announce the first Equinor discovery,” said Nicholas Ashton, Equinor’s senior vice president, Exploration, Norway & UK.“This is a good discovery which we expect will be commercial. In addition, the results from the drilling indicate an upside potential in this discovery…

04 Jun 2018

Johan Sverdrup Drilling Platform Installed

Photo: Espen Rønnevik / Roar Lindefjeld

The 22,000-tonne topside for the drilling platform was lifted into position in one single lift on the Johan Sverdrup field last weekend. Equinor and the Johan Sverdrup partners are the first users in the world of this ground-breaking technology.On Thursday, May 31, the topside for the Johan Sverdrup drilling platform sailed from the Aibel yard in Haugesund to Bømlafjorden at Stord.Here the 22,000-tonne steel structure was transferred from the barge to Pioneering Spirit, the world’s biggest heavy-lift vessel.

28 May 2018

Odfjell Wins Drilling Contract from Equinor

Equinor has awarded Odfjell a contract for drilling two times three production wells for the Fram and Askeladd licences by using the Deepsea Atlantic rig. Odfjell has also been awarded a master framework agreement (MFA). Equinor has signed a framework agreement with Odfjell with terms that will be used for future rig contracts with Odfjell on the Norwegian continental shelf. At the same time, the first rig contract has been signed for Deepsea Atlantic under this contract format. “We have reached a long-term agreement with standard terms that will ensure more efficient procurement processes for future assignments with Odfjell. In addition…

03 May 2018

Mobilizing the Offshore Organization for Johan Sverdrup Field

The Johan Sverdrup riser platform. (Photo: Anette Westgård - Woldcam / Statoil)

The mobilization of up to 2,400 women and men who will work to hook-up, finalize and eventually start-up the Johan Sverdrup field in the North Sea.Later today approximately 150 people – plus crew from the flotel-operator ProSafe – will sail away onboard the floating accommodation vessel "Safe Zephyrus" from Mekjarvik outside Stavanger with the North Sea as their destination.When the flotel arrives at the Johan Sverdrup field this weekend, this will mark the beginning of the offshore…

26 Feb 2018

Samsung Heavy Industries Delivers Johan Sverdrup Offshore Platform

South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI)'s Geoje shipyard has completed a riser platform topside for Statoil's giant Johan Sverdrup development offshore Norway. "SHI successfuly completed the North Sea bound offshore platform within the scheduled delivery date in the original contract," said a statement from the company. SHI revealed that one of the two offshore platform topside modules, worth KRW 1.18 trillion together, left its Geoje shipyard. SHI-built Johan Sverdrup topsides are for a 26,000-ton process platform and a 23,000-ton riser platform. The newly left topside is for the riser platform. It will arrive in Norway after about six weeks to be integrated on top of the already installed jacket. The process platform is to leave Geoje in December 2018.