The partners in the Troll licence have decided to adjust the plan for further development, installations and operation of the Troll field in the North Sea.

The Troll partners wish to cancel the sub-project for the replacement of flowlines in the gas wells on the Troll A platform, which was one of three sub-projects in the submitted plan.

The plan was submitted to the authorities in June 2008 and is now pending final approval. The adjustments are necessary because of changes in framework conditions, such as lower oil prices and high costs.

Replacement of the flowlines will be reconsidered at a later date.

The gas injection system will be in place as planned by the turn of the year 2010/2011.

Gas injection makes it possible to increase recovery of the oil reserves, thereby ensuring sensible management of the overall resources.

Gas injection in Troll West will result in an increase in the oil reserves on Troll of 17 million barrels of oil.

A new pipeline for rich gas from the Troll A platform to Kollsnes gas processing plant, including modifications to Troll A and the Kollsnes receiving facility, will proceed as planned. This will help to secure the Troll field’s position as a reliable, long-term source of supply for gas to Europe.

In all, the changes will mean a short-term reduction in the investment framework of NOK 3.8 billion. The original investment framework was almost NOK 10 billion.

“The goal of the plan is to increase the recovery of oil while at the same time maximising the value of gas production. The field has been in continual development since it started up, and we are now making Troll more robust in order to meet the future on the basis of today’s framework conditions,” says Hege Marie Norheim, head of reserves and business development on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Tags: StatoilHydro