Ekofisk

Ekofisk Oil Field Profile

Discovery and History

• The Ekofisk oil field was discovered in October 1969 by Phillips Petroleum Company (now ConocoPhillips) in block 2/4 of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, approximately 320 km (200 mi) southwest of Stavanger[5|.
• This discovery marked the first commercially viable oil find on the Norwegian continental shelf and initiated the Norwegian oil age[3|.
• Production began in June 1971, with oil initially produced directly to tankers from four subsea wells.

Location and Geology

• The Ekofisk field is located in the southern part of the North Sea, with water depths ranging from 70 to 75 meters[3|.
• Geologically, Ekofisk is a chalk field, characterized by a north-south trending anticline with a central graben. The structure spans an area of 49 km² (19 sq mi) with 244 meters (801 ft) of vertical closure and a hydrocarbon column 305 meters (1,001 ft) long, formed by Permian Zechstein salt movement[5|.
• The reservoir is approximately 3,000 meters (9,842 ft) subsurface, containing a 300-meter (984-ft) oil column.

Production and Operations

• Initially, the field was developed using pressure depletion, with an expected recovery factor of 17%. However, the introduction of water injection in 1987 significantly improved oil recovery, allowing for a recovery rate of over 50%[3|.
• The Ekofisk Complex is a central hub for the production from the Ekofisk field and other fields in the Greater Ekofisk Area (GEA), including Cod, West Ekofisk, Tor, Albuskjell, Eldfisk, Edda, and Embla. It also serves as a transportation hub for fields such as Valhall, Hod, Gyda, Ula, Statfjord, Heimdal, Tommeliten, and Gullfaks[5|.
• The complex consists of 29 platforms, including accommodation facilities, production facilities, drilling and processing facilities, and water injection facilities. Key platforms include Ekofisk H, Ekofisk Q, Ekofisk C, Ekofisk X, Ekofisk J, and Ekofisk M[3|.
• Produced oil is transported via the Norpipe oil pipeline to the Teesside Refinery in England, while natural gas is transported via the Norpipe gas pipeline to Emden in Germany.

Infrastructure and Platforms

• The central Ekofisk complex includes several key platforms:
  • Ekofisk 2/4 J: This platform is the central processing facility, capable of processing 260,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 21.2 million cubic meters of gas per day. It was built by various contractors, including Aker Verdal, Amec Process and Energy, and Umoe Haugesund[1|.
  • Ekofisk 2/4 X: This platform includes a drilling module built by Hitec/Dreco and topsides by Umoe Haugesund[1|.
  • Other platforms such as Ekofisk H, Q, C, X, and M are integral to the operations, each serving different functions like accommodation, production, and processing[3|.
• Recent developments include the Ekofisk South project, which commenced production in October 2013, involving 35 new production wells and eight water injection wells to enhance oil recovery.

Production Volumes and Reserves

• To date, more than 4.2 billion barrels of oil have been produced from the Ekofisk field, with additional production from other fields in the GEA, such as 1.1 billion barrels from Eldfisk and 0.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) from other fields[2|.
• The original estimated reserves included 569.2 million Sm³ of oil, 164.5 billion Sm³ of gas, and 15.2 million tonnes of natural gas liquids (NGL)[3|.
• Cumulative production from the GEA has reached 6.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with a significant increase in recovery rates due to water injection and other enhanced recovery techniques.

Environmental and Emissions Reduction

• ConocoPhillips and its partners have implemented various measures to reduce emissions and environmental impact. These include the installation of a new power cable to replace diesel-driven power with steam power, reducing CO₂ emissions by 1 million metric tons per year and NOx emissions by 167 metric tons per year[2|.
• Hybrid power solutions on platform supply vessels have reduced diesel consumption by up to 15%, along with corresponding reductions in NOx and CO₂ emissions. Additionally, a project to restrict flaring at the Ekofisk J platform aims to cut CO₂ emissions by 26 million metric tons per year[2|.
• The oil-in-water content in produced water has been reduced to 6.9 mg/l, well below the Norwegian regulatory limit of 30 mg/l.

Licensing and Future Operations

• In 2022, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy extended ConocoPhillips' production licenses in the Ekofisk Area from 2028 to 2048, enabling continued development and production activities[4|.
• This extension supports long-term plans, including the development of Eldfisk Nord and the connection of the Tommeliten A development to the Ekofisk Complex. The goal is to extend Ekofisk’s operational lifetime to nearly 80 years[4|.
• ConocoPhillips continues to innovate, exploring new technologies such as coiled tubing drilling (CTD) to further optimize operations and extend the field's life.

Partners and Contractors

• The Ekofisk field is operated by ConocoPhillips, with partners including Total (39.90%), Eni (12.39%), Petoro (5.00%), and Statoil (now Equinor, 7.6%)[3|.
• Various contractors have been involved in the development and maintenance of the field, including Aker Verdal, Amec Process and Energy, Umoe Haugesund, Acergy, Aibel, and Saipem.

Economic and Social Impact

• The Greater Ekofisk Area has generated an estimated value of close to NOK 2,600 billion ($314 billion) since its inception. The area supports around 3,000 jobs, with 1,000 employees working offshore and 900 at the Tananger headquarters[2|.
• The field's operations have contributed significantly to the local and national economy, with ongoing investments and innovations ensuring continued economic benefits.