The Albuskjell oil and gas field was a crude oil and associated gas production field in the Norwegian sector of the central North Sea. Production of oil and gas started in 1979, peak oil and gas was achieved in 1982. Production ceased in 1998 and the field installations were dismantled by 2013.
The field
editThe characteristics of the Albuskjell field reservoir are as follows.[1] [2] [3]
| Field | Albuskjell |
| Reservoir | Gas and condensate: Maastrichtian and lower Paleocene chalk.
Main reservoir: Upper Cretaceous Tor formation |
| Block | 1/6 |
| Reservoir depth | 3,200 m, 10,600 feet |
| API gravity | 48° |
| Gas Oil ratio (GOR) | 13,043 scf/bbl (standard cubic feet / barrel) |
| Sulphur content | 0.5% |
| Pressure | 7,266 psi (50,097 kPa) |
| Discovery | August 1972 |
| Recoverable reserves | 172 MMbbls (million barrels) oil; 2.4 bcf (billion cubic feet) gas |
Owners and operator
editThe field was owned and operated by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS.[1]
Infrastructure
editThe Akbuskjell field was developed through two offshore installations:[3]
| Name | Albuskjell ‘A’ | Albuskjell ‘F’ |
| Coordinates | 56.462886°N 2.940008°E | 56.602536°N 3.053947°E |
| Block | 1/6 | 2/4 |
| Water depth | 71m | 71 m |
| Bridge | To flare structure | To flare structure |
| Installation | September 1976 | March 1977 |
| Function | Drilling, production and accommodation | Drilling, production and accommodation |
| Production start | May 1979 | July 1979 |
| Type | Steel jacket | Steel jacket |
| Substructure weight tonnes | 8,902 | 7,190 |
| Topsides weight tonnes | 10,649 | 11,418 |
| Number of wells | 15 (20 slots) | 10 (20 slots) |
| Legs | 12 | 12 |
| Piles | 12 | 12 |
| Flare | 3-leg jacket and intermediate support | 3-leg jacket and intermediate support |
| Status | Decommissioned | Decommissioned |
| Export, liquids | 18-inch 5.28-mile pipeline to Albuskjell F | 18-inch 8.125-mile pipeline to Ekofisk R |
| Export, gas | 24-inch 2.28-mile pipeline to Albuskjell F | 18-inch 8.125-mile pipeline to Ekofisk R |
| Design contractor | Tecnomare | Tecnomare |
| Jacket fabrication | Aker Trondelag at Verdal | NAPM a Vlissingen |
| Deck fabrication | Aker Stord at Stord | Aker Stord at Stord |
| Accommodation | 46 originally, 96 replacement in 1983 | 46 originally, 96 replacement in 1983 |
Production
editThe design production capacity of Albuskjell ‘A’ was 79,400 bopd (barrels of oil per day) and 274 mmscfd (million standard cubic feet per day) of gas.[1] Initial separation was at 1,280 psia (88.3 bar).
The production capacity of Albuskjell ‘F’ was almost identical, 79,400 bopd and 273 mmscfd. Process facilities included gas dehydration and oily water treatment.[3] Peak production was 80,000 bopd and 450 mmscfd in 1982.
Production from the Albuskjell field was by natural depletion. The oil, natural gas liquids (NGL) and gas production profile of the Albuskjell field is as shown.[1]
| Year | Oil (million standard m3 oil equivalent | NGL (MSm3OE) | Gas (MSm3OE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.531158 | 0.060289 | 0.651959 |
| 1980 | 1.441672 | 0.207705 | 1.779093 |
| 1981 | 1.42621 | 0.268375 | 2.248558 |
| 1982 | 0.95293 | 0.250901 | 1.998169 |
| 1983 | 0.697342 | 0.253451 | 1.654546 |
| 1984 | 0.461588 | 0.169006 | 1.18348 |
| 1985 | 0.357291 | 0.156644 | 1.026213 |
| 1986 | 0.28525 | 0.129324 | 0.945511 |
| 1987 | 0.215786 | 0.106315 | 0.778243 |
| 1988 | 0.175572 | 0.095923 | 0.613004 |
| 1989 | 0.1415 | 0.067016 | 0.456129 |
| 1990 | 0.10894 | 0.045838 | 0.338582 |
| 1991 | 0.090845 | 0.031397 | 0.271183 |
| 1992 | 0.086781 | 0.026808 | 0.266091 |
| 1993 | 0.096074 | 0.032594 | 0.308713 |
| 1994 | 0.081022 | 0.027668 | 0.263826 |
| 1995 | 0.073878 | 0.02448 | 0.236197 |
| 1996 | 0.054346 | 0.021044 | 0.217567 |
| 1997 | 0.046137 | 0.020038 | 0.191699 |
| 1998 | 0.029543 | 0.011605 | 0.10563 |
Albuskjell ceased in production in 1998 and the installations were removed from the field in 2011 and 2013.[1] Significant reserves remain in place and may be exploited in future.[1]