World’s Largest Crane Vessel Installs New Jacket For North Sea Oil Project

Aker BP, a Norwegian oil and gas company, has installed a new 90-meter-long jacket in the North Sea, facilitated by Heerema Marine Contractors’ semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV), the world’s largest of its kind.

The installation is a crucial step in a development project to extend the life of the Valhall oil field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) for another 40 years.

New reserves are estimated at 230 million barrels of oil equivalent.

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy approved the Valhall PWP-Fenris project in June 2023, and construction began in September 2023.

The first steel plate for the Valhall PWP was cut at Aker Solutions’ Stord yard, marking the beginning of the extensive development process.

On June 8, the Fenris jacket and pre-drill module (PDM) departed Aker Solutions’ yard in Verdal, transported by three tugboats.

After a five-day journey, Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir heavy lift vessel placed the jacket on the seabed at the Fenris offshore field.

The 90-meter-tall jacket was fastened by 68-meter-long piles, and once the grout was set, the 800 mT PDM was installed.

The next phase involved cutting the first steel for the new platform’s utility module at Worley Rosenberg’s Stavanger facility in January 2024.

Video Credits: Aker BP ASA/Linkedin

Upon completion, the five-story topside module will be 55 meters tall, 32 meters wide, and 54 meters long, weighing approximately 4,800 tonnes.

The Valhall PWP-Fenris project, one of the largest development projects on the NCS, aims to extend the operational life of the Valhall oil field, which has been producing since 1982.

The project will expand Valhall’s gas processing capacity and increase gas exports to Europe via the existing Norpipe network.

Additionally, the project contains an environmentally friendly power-from-shore system to reduce emissions, which are projected to be less than 1 kg CO2/boe.

Aker BP intends to transport the Valhall PWP from Worley Rosenberg to Aker Solutions’ Stord yard for further integration with production modules before sailing away in the summer of 2026.

Production at the new facility is set to begin in 2027.

Aker Solutions oversees large subsea and modification deliveries for the Valhall PWP-Fenris project.

The company’s collaboration with ProSep, a provider of water solutions and technologies, guarantees that the CTour process is implemented in the new platform’s water treatment system.

Jacek Kacperski, ProSep’s Sales Manager for Europe, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, citing ProSep’s long association with the Valhall platform.

This development emphasizes the strategic importance of the Valhall field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and Aker BP’s commitment to sustainable and efficient oil production, which will ensure the field’s productivity and economic benefits for decades to come.

Reference: Offshore Energy, Interesting Engineering

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