Norwegian pipeline operator Gassco has turned on the Tampen link pipeline from the Statfjord field in Norway to the U.K. FLAGS pipeline network, opening the way to as much as 25 million standard cubic feet per day from a revamped “Late Life” Statfjord.

One of offshore Norway’s oldest facilities, Statfjord has produced oil and associated gas, but a major overhaul will have it producing gas with extra oil. The 23-kilometre, 32-inch-wide link to FLAGS will make newly accessible Statfjord gas to the St. Fergus terminal in the U.K. East. Low pressure test production starts in two weeks.

Tampen offers Norway producers 11 billion standard cubic metres per year of capacity through Statfjord.

Yet half of Statjford remains to overhaul: in 2009, the three Statfjord platforms will be converted to produce oil and gas with lower reservoir pressure. StatoilHydro (44 percent) is partnered at Statfjord by ExxonMobil (21 percent), ConocoPhillips (10 percent) Shell (nine percent), ConocoPhillips (5 percent), Centrica Resources (10 percent) and Enterprise Oil with about one percent.