After several years of technology development, construction and testing the first subsea wet gas compressor in the world is now installed at the Gullfaks C platform in the North Sea, the company said in its press release.
In May and June Gullfaks subsea compressor project (GSC) completed successful structure and module installation campaigns for the subsea station. The compressors were installed at the end of June.
Subsea wet gas compression at Gullfaks C will add 22 million barrels of oil equivalent, and extend plateau production by about two years.
Testing of the complete compressor station still remains, but this work is underway and the project is on schedule.
Considerable preparations for the start-up of the subsea compressor have been made on Gullfaks C as well. This work, performed by Apply Sørco, is now in the final stages.
The compressor represents a robust and flexible measure to improve oil recovery (IOR) for the Gullfaks licence. The compressor will now be hooked up between the L and M subsea templates and Gullfaks C. It is also possible to tie in other subsea wells to the compressor through existing pipelines.
The protective structure and compressor station were installed in early May by the heavy lift vessel Oleg Strashnov. On 26 June the compressor and cooling modules were lowered into place from the Seven Viking.
The plant will be tied back to the Gullfaks C platform in the late summer and autumn.