Johan Sverdrup

Location and Geology

The Johan Sverdrup oil field is located approximately 150 kilometers off the coast of Stavanger, Norway, in the Norwegian North Sea, specifically within the Utsira High region.

• The field is situated at a water depth of 110-120 meters and the reservoir is at a depth of about 1,900 meters, characterized by lower Cretaceous/Jurassic age high porosity and permeability sandstones.

Ownership and Operators

The Johan Sverdrup field is jointly owned by several companies:

• Equinor (operator) with a 42.6% stake
• Lundin Norway with 20%
• Petoro with 17.36%
• Aker BP with 11.57%
• Total (formerly Maersk Oil) with 8.44%.

Development Phases

The development of the Johan Sverdrup field is being carried out in two phases:

Phase One

• Construction began in March 2016, and production started in October 2019, more than two months ahead of schedule.
• The total investment for this phase was approximately $10.3 billion (Nkr86bn).
• This phase includes the installation of four bridge-connected platforms: an accommodation and utility platform, a processing platform, a drilling platform, and a riser platform. It also includes three subsea installations for water injection and 35 injection and production wells.
• The processing topside for this phase weighs about 28,100 tons and was manufactured by Samsung Heavy Industries.
• Production capacity for phase one is 440,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd).

Phase Two

• The plan for operation and development (PDO) for phase two was submitted in August 2018 and approved in May 2019.
• Construction on the second phase began in May 2019, with commissioning expected in the fourth quarter of 2022.
• This phase involves the drilling of 28 wells, the construction of one new processing platform, and five new subsea templates. Modifications to the existing riser platform and field center will also be carried out.
• The new processing platform will weigh 23,000 tons and consist of three modules.
• The production capacity for phase two is estimated to be 220,000 bpd, bringing the total field production to 660,000 bpd.

Reserves and Production

• The Johan Sverdrup field is estimated to contain between 2.1 and 3.3 billion barrels of gross recoverable oil, with total recoverable reserves amounting to approximately 2.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
• The oil is highly mobile with low viscosity, having an API of 28° and a low gas/oil ratio.
• The field's production life is expected to be around 50 years.

Infrastructure and Export

• The produced oil is transported to the Mongstad terminal in Hordaland through a 283km-long, 36-inch diameter oil pipeline.
• The gas is transported to the Kårstø gas processing plant in North Rogaland through a 156km-long, 18-inch diameter gas pipeline.
• The pipelines are coated with anti-corrosive chemicals and were laid using Saipem’s Castorone pipe-laying vessel. DeepOcean’s construction vessel Edda Freya was used for the remote hyperbaric tie-in of the oil export pipeline.

Environmental Efficiency

• Johan Sverdrup is noted for its high carbon emission efficiency, with emissions well below 1 kg of CO2 per barrel, largely due to the electric supply from shore instead of traditional offshore gas turbines.

Contractors and Suppliers

Several companies have been involved in the development of the Johan Sverdrup field:

• Aker Solutions: Provided feasibility and concept studies, front-end engineering design (FEED), and engineering services, procurement, and management assistance (EPMA) for both phases. They also constructed pipeline receiving facilities and performed modifications at the Mongstad terminal.
• Kvaerner: Supplied jackets for the process and drilling platforms and carried out modifications on the riser platform for the second phase.
• Samsung Heavy Industries: Fabricated the topsides for the processing and riser platforms for phase one.
• Aibel: Delivered engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the deck of the drilling platform and built two onshore converter stations.
• Subsea 7 and TechnipFMC: Engaged as major subsea contractors.
• NKT: Undertook the supply and installation of power cables for phase one.
• Saipem: Awarded the pipe-laying contract for the export pipelines.
• DeepOcean: Carried out the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract to tie-in the oil export pipeline.
• Other contractors include Mitsui & Co Norway, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal (NSSMC), Wasco Coatings Malaysia, NorSea Group AS, Fugro GEOS, and IES-Velosi.

Economic and Strategic Impact

• The Johan Sverdrup field is one of the largest oil fields on the Norwegian continental shelf and is expected to account for more than half of Norway’s oil production by 2040.
• The project has significant economic implications, with the total investment for both phases estimated at around $15.2 billion (Nkr129bn).
• The field's development underscores the commitment of major energy companies like Equinor, Lundin Norway, Petoro, Aker BP, and Total to the Norwegian North Sea and their role in global energy production.