With effect from 1 June, Gassco has taken over the operatorship of the pipeline which will carry rich gas from Norway’s Gjøa and Vega fields to the UK FLAGS transport system.

The Gjøa project is approaching completion and start-up, and a new 28-inch pipeline tied into the Shell-operated FLAGS system has already been laid.

Running for 130 kilometres, this Gjøa Gas Pipe facility is due to be emptied of water and filled with rich gas during the second half of August.

“We’ll be using gas from Tampen Link and Flags to dewater the line and for Statoil to prepare the Gjøa platform for production,” explains David Rodrigues de Miranda, Gassco’s project manager.

Preparing the Gjøa Gas Pipe for operation is also in full swing with the GDF SUEZ E&P Norge, which will be taking over as Gjøa operator from developer Statoil on 1 October. That is also the start date for commercial gas deliveries from the field.

A six-strong core team in Gassco, with good support from personnel in other departments, has been working on operational preparations and the take-over of the operatorship since 2007.

“It’s been an extensive process, where we’ve benefited from experience with the operator change-over and start-up of Langeled and Tampen Link,” says Mr Rodrigues de Miranda.

The Gjøa Gas Pipe will also be incorporated in the Gassled transport system with effect from 1 June. This partnership thereby acquires two new members – GDF SUEZ and RWE Dea.

Gjøa lies about 40 kilometres north of Fram in the North Sea. Development of this field and its Vega satellite embraces several subsea templates tied back to a semi-submersible production and process platform.

Oil from the field will be exported to Mongstad via a new 50-kilometre pipeline tied into Troll Oil Pipeline II, while rich gas is landed in St Fergus in the UK via the Gjøa Gas Pipe and FLAGS.

Tags: Gassco