AASTA HANSTEEN

• Latitude: 67.0671
• Longitude: 7.0958
• Norwegian Coast
• Offshore Terminal in Norway

Location: Norway

Aasta Hansteen Offshore Terminal in Norway

Description:

The Aasta Hansteen field, located in the Norwegian Sea, is one of the most advanced offshore platforms in Norway. The field is situated approximately 300 kilometers west of the Nordland coast and is named after the Norwegian painter, writer, and early feminist Aasta Hansteen. The structure stands out due to its deepwater floating production capabilities, being one of the deepest moored production platforms in the world. This sophisticated offshore infrastructure is part of Norway's efforts to exploit its vast underwater hydrocarbon resources.

Specifications:

• Location: Norwegian Sea, approximately 300 km west of Nordland, Norway.

• Water Depth: The Aasta Hansteen field is located in a water depth of about 1,300 meters, making it one of the deepest operations in the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

• Type: Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) platform.

• Substructure: Spar platform—a floating, cylindrical structure anchored to the seabed, which allows for stability and resistance to harsh sea conditions.

• Production Capacities:

  • Gas: The platform is primarily designed for gas production.
  • Capacity: Capable of processing up to 23 million standard cubic meters of gas per day.
  • Storage: Storage capacity for gas liquids.

• Transportation: The extracted gas is transported to an onshore processing facility through the Polarled pipeline, which is a 480 km subsea pipeline connecting the Aasta Hansteen field to the Nyhamna gas processing facility.

• Development Partners: The field is operated by Equinor (formerly Statoil), in partnership with Wintershall Dea and OMV.

• Facilities:

  • Topside: Houses processing equipment, living quarters, and control centers.
  • Subsea: Includes a subsea production system comprising of wells, manifolds, and flowlines connecting the underwater wells to the platform.

• Operational Start: The first gas was produced from the field in December 2018.

Key Features and Technologies:

• Deepwater Production: The Aasta Hansteen spar platform is designed for operations in deep waters, making it a milestone in offshore engineering.
• Subsea Infrastructure: The field employs advanced subsea infrastructure with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and other cutting-edge technologies for underwater maintenance and production.
• Environmental Considerations: Equipped with systems to minimize the environmental impact, including measures to handle and reduce emissions and discharges.

Notable Achievements:

• Innovative Engineering: The Aasta Hansteen platform demonstrates innovative engineering by incorporating a spar design, making it stable and resilient in harsh ocean conditions.
• Extended Infrastructure: The Polarled pipeline is a significant infrastructure project, extending Norway's export capabilities.

The Aasta Hansteen field thus represents a significant advancement in Norway's offshore oil and gas extraction capabilities, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to operate in one of the most challenging environments on the planet.