Skuld

Location and Geology

The Skuld field is located in the Norwegian Sea, approximately 20 kilometres north of the Norne field, in water depths of about 340-360 metres.
It is situated within the Halter Bank area, in blocks 6609/10 and 6608/11.

The Skuld field was discovered in 2008, with the plan for development and operation (PDO) approved in January 2012 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.
The field consists of two deposits: Fossekall and Dompap. Oil was discovered in the Dompap region in 2009, and oil and gas were discovered in the Fossekall region in 2010.

The Skuld field produces oil from sandstone of Early to Middle Jurassic age in the Åre, Tofte, and Ile Formations. The reservoirs have small gas caps and are at a depth of 2400-2600 metres. The reservoir quality is moderate to good.
The field is developed with three subsea templates tied-back to the Norne production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO). It includes six wells and three water injection wells.
Production is supported by water injection, and some wells use gas lift to maintain production at low reservoir pressure and high water cut.

Production started in March 2013 and is expected to continue until at least 2030.
The well stream is sent to the Norne FPSO. The oil is offloaded to shuttle tankers together with the oil from the Norne field. The gas is transported by pipeline from the Norne vessel to the Åsgard field and further via the Åsgard Transport System (ÅTS) to the Kårstø terminal.

The field is connected to the Norne production vessel through a 26km insulated production line and umbilical. The project uses a direct electric heating (DEH) system to control the temperature and prevent the formation of wax and hydrate in the pipeline.
The development involved significant technological and logistical efforts, including the use of six installation vessels working in parallel and close cooperation between licensees, authorities, and the supplier industry.

Equinor (formerly Statoil) is the owner and operator of the Skuld field, holding a 64% interest. The other partners are Petoro with 24.5% and Eni with 11.5%.

The total investment for the development of Skuld is estimated at about NOK 10 billion (approximately $1.65 billion).
Key contractors involved in the project include Aker Solutions for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract, Subsea 7, Aibel, National Oilwell, and Sumitomo. Baker Hughes provided drilling services.

The Skuld project is the largest of the fast-track developments by Statoil and makes up more than half of the increased production from fields where the company is the operator on the Norwegian shelf in 2013.
The project extended the lifespan of the Norne field by several years, from an initial estimate of 2021 to at least 2030. It also opened up opportunities for new activities involving exploration and further development in the Norne area.

As of April 2023, production from the Skuld field has been shut-in due to issues with the heating system of the pipeline to the Norne FPSO. Production is expected to resume in 2024 after the necessary repairs.

The project was executed with strict adherence to health, environment, and safety requirements. Despite the high activity levels and complex nature of the project, it was completed without any serious incidents over more than 500 vessel days.