Edvard Grieg

Location and Geology

The Edvard Grieg oil field is located in the Utsira High area of the Norwegian North Sea, approximately 180 kilometers west of Stavanger, Norway. It is situated in production licence PL 338, block 16/1.

• The field is characterized by oil-bearing reservoirs of Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous age, including alluvial, aeolian, and shallow marine sandstone and conglomerate. The reservoirs include Jurassic and Triassic layers, with the main part of the Luno discovery consisting of conglomerates and sandstones from the Triassic period, and a younger shell-rich sandstone from the lower Cretaceous period.

Discovery and Development

• The Edvard Grieg field was discovered in 2007 with the appraisal well 16/1-8, which identified light oil in the Jurassic reservoir. Further appraisal wells (16/1-10, 16/1-11, and 16/1-12) were drilled to assess the reserves and reservoir characteristics.

• The plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved by Norwegian authorities in June 2012. The first oil production began on November 28, 2015.

Infrastructure and Platform

• The Edvard Grieg platform is a fixed platform with a steel jacket structure anchored in a water depth of 109 meters. The platform's substructure is a four-legged launch-installed jacket steel structure, and the topside includes a modularized processing plant with a main deck frame, process module, flare stack, and utility module with integrated living quarters.

• The platform weighs approximately 22,500 tonnes for the topside modules and 13,000 tonnes for the steel jacket. It stands 202 meters from the seabed to its highest point and is designed to process oil and gas from the Edvard Grieg field as well as neighboring fields like Ivar Aasen.

Wells and Production

• The field currently consists of ten oil production wells and four water injection wells tied back to the Edvard Grieg production platform. Seven of the oil-producing wells are drilled horizontally in the reservoir section, with the longest well estimated to be around 5.5 kilometers in length.

• A drilling campaign involving three infill wells was initiated in January 2021 to enhance recovery volumes. The field also includes developments such as the Solveig Phase 1, which involves the tieback of five subsea wells to the Edvard Grieg platform, and the Rolvsnes Extended Well Test (EWT) project.

Reserves and Production Capacity

• The ultimate gross 2P reserves of the Edvard Grieg field have been increased significantly since the initial estimates. As of September 2020, the reserves were estimated at approximately 350 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mboe), with remaining gross 2P reserves estimated at around 190 Mboe as of July 2020.

• The field is expected to produce around 100,000 barrels of oil per day at peak production from more than 15 wells. The total P2 reserves have been revised upwards due to improved understanding of the reservoir and the use of advanced technologies like 4D seismic.

Transportation and Export

• Oil from the Edvard Grieg platform is transported through a 43-kilometer-long export pipeline connecting to the Grane oil pipeline, which then transports the oil to the Sture oil terminal in Øygarden, Hordaland, Norway.

• Gas is exported through a 94-kilometer-long pipeline to the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) system, connecting to St. Fergus, Scotland, UK.

Partners and Operators

• Lundin Energy Norway, a subsidiary of Lundin Energy, is the operator and holds a 65% stake in the Edvard Grieg field. Other partners include OMV Norge (20%) and Wintershall Dea Norge (15%).

Environmental and Operational Efficiency

• The Edvard Grieg platform receives power from shore through the Utsira High area solution, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions during production.

Recent Developments and Contracts

• Recent contracts include Valaris for the three-well infill drilling campaign, Aker Solutions for the integration of a high-voltage electrical boiler package, and NKT for supplying high-voltage power cables to connect the Edvard Grieg platform to the Johan Sverdrup field centre.

• The Greater Edvard Grieg Area, which includes the Edvard Grieg field, Solveig Phase 1, and the Rolvsnes EWT, is expected to continue expanding with new developments such as the Troldhaugen and Symra fields.

Historical Milestones

• 2007: Discovery of the Edvard Grieg field.
• 2008-2009: Appraisal wells drilled to assess the reservoir.
• June 2012: PDO approved by Norwegian authorities.
• November 2015: First oil production began.
• 2019: Oil discoveries at the Jorvik and Tellus East prospects.
• January 2021: Initiation of the three-well infill drilling campaign.