Statoil announced on August 9, 2016, that the Songa Offshore’s Songa Enabler drilling rig has started drilling a new injection well for CO2 gas at the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea.
Snøhvit is still the only LNG project in the world capturing and storing CO2 separated from the well stream in a dedicated formation offshore.
So far more than four million tonnes of CO2 from Snøhvit have been stored. The stored CO2 is being monitored in order to ensure that it does not mix with the main producing reservoir. A new CO2 injection well is now required. After the new CO2 injector is installed, the rig will move on to drill the first new production well at Snøhvit since the field came on stream in 2007. The drilling campaign is planned to last until Christmas.
Prevents carbon leak
The CO2 solution project was established in 2013 in order to build and install a new CO2 injection well, replacing the original injector that over time would leak CO2 into the gas reservoir on the Snøhvit field.
«Hammerfest LNG needed replenishment of gas in order to maintain the high production and capacity utilisation at the plant, while ensuring sustainable CO2 storage. This project is therefore important to Statoil,» says Geir Owren, asset owner representative for the project.
In the summer of 2015 an extensive marine campaign was performed. Pipelines and a template for the CO2 project were installed and tied in to the existing subsea facility on the Snøhvit field. The new subsea facility was built and installed without injuries and well within the budget of NOK 2.5 billion.
«The distance to the Barents Sea presents extra challenges with regard to mobilisation and sailing time, which requires careful planning, thorough preparations and close cooperation with the suppliers. We are pleased both with the equipment suppliers and marine operations, which resulted in successful project implementation,» says project leader Sveinung Øvretveit.
The next big development step for Hammerfest LNG is the development of the Askeladd field, which is part of the plan for development and operation of the Snøhvit licence. It is expected to come on stream in 2020/2021. This development step will help ensure full utilisation of the capacity at Hammerfest LNG.
Facts about Snøhvit
* produces LNG (liquified natural gas), LPG ( liqufied petroleum gases) and condensate from the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea, 143 kilometres off Hammerfest
* annual capacity: 4.2 million tonnes of LNG
* the onshore plant Hammerfest LNG has been online since 2007
* captures 650,000 tonnes of CO2 per year from the feed gas, storing it on the seabed – corresponding to the emission from 400 000 cars
* enough gas reserves to maintain production until 2055
