Norway’s state-owned energy company Equinor has started producing gas at Phase 1 of the Askeladd gas field in the Barents Sea, on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Askeladd is a satellite field of the Snøhvit field, developed as a subsea tie-in to the Snøhvit facility and Hammerfest LNG.
Subsea templates for Askeladd and Johan Castberg. (Credit: Jan Arne Wold / Equinor)
The new production will add 18 billion cubic metres of gas and two million cubic metres of condensate to the market through the Hammerfest LNG plant on Melkøya.
Currently, Hammerfest LNG (HLNG) delivers 18.4 million standard cubic metres of gas per day or 6.5 billion cubic metres per annum.
It will address the needs of around 6.5 million households in Europe, said Equinor.
Equinor Hammerfest LNG operations and maintenance vice president Thor Johan Haave said: “Askeladd is now producing, the gas will help extend plateau production from Hammerfest LNG on Melkøya up to three years.
“HLNG delivers significant volumes to customers in Europe, and the gas from the Barents Sea reinforces our position as a predictable and reliable gas supplier.
“Askeladd and other projects in the region will ensure further value creation and production from HLNG for decades.”
Equinor owns a 36.79% stake in Askeladd, and is also the operator, while its partners Total owns 18.4%, Petoro 30%, Neptune Energy 12%, and DEA 2.81%.
The project was sanctioned for development in 2018, with an estimated investment of NOK5bn ($641.5m).
It was completed in 2020, as per the schedule, with NOK650m below the estimated costs.
The start-up of the project was delayed until operations re-started at the Melkøya plant, where a fire accident took place in the same year.
Equinor said that Askeladd is the first of several projects in the further development of the Snøhvit field and the infrastructure around HLNG.
Askeladd West will be developed next with two new wells tied back to existing infrastructure, before onshore compression and electrification are completed, said the company.
Equinor project development senior vice president Trond Bokn said: “Just over 1.5 million person-hours of work have gone into the project, most of them performed by our suppliers.
“During the project period, Askeladd generated 250–300 person-years of work in Northern Norway, mainly in Hammerfest.
“In addition, many employees and suppliers have helped restart Hammerfest LNG, which makes it possible to phase in both Askeladd and future projects.”
