Three days were enough to lift four of the last pieces in the Johan Sverdrup puzzle into place, namely the two final platform topsides, a bridge and a flare stack. The processing platform lift was the heaviest lift ever performed offshore.
The two final platform topsides were installed using the heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit’s single lift technology. The processing platform lift achieved a new lifting record offshore, and was carried out on March 19 in four hours with a clearance of just 25 metres from the rest of the field centre.
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The lift of the utility and living quarters topside, 18,000 tonnes, was completed on March 22 in 3.5 hours. From the start of the lifting operation of the processing platform, until the living quarters topsides had been lifted into place, it took less than 72 hours.
Now we are in the process of concluding the installation campaign for the first phase of construction of Johan Sverdrup. Putting the final building blocks of this gigantic project into place is important to ensure start-up of the field as planned in November this year
states Trond Bokn, senior vice president for Johan Sverdrup.
In addition, the final flare stack and the bridge that connects the processing platform to the drilling platform were lifted into place by the heavy lift vessel Thialf. The final bridge that will connect the utility and living quarters topside to the rest of the field centre will be installed in the next possible weather window.
The installation and completion phase offshore at Johan Sverdrup began with installing the jacket for the riser platform in August 2017. Following that, three more steel jackets, four topsides, two bridges, two flare stacks, 200 km of power cables, and over 400 km of pipelines have been put in place. More than 2000 vessel days associated with installation and marine activities have been performed so far, without serious harm to people or the environment.
We are proud of what the Johan Sverdrup project has accomplished together with our partners and suppliers. At the same time, we’re not finished just yet. A lot of work remains, but with the installation campaign completed, we are on track to start production in November
Mr. Bokn adds.
The first item on the agenda is hook-up, testing and commissioning of the two final topsides. This will be followed by testing and making sure that all four platforms, as well as the field centre, function as a single unit. Completing the tie-back of the eight pre-drilled production wells on the field to the drilling platform will also come to add to this.
