Wintershall Dea, partners safely install additional subsea template for offshore Norwegian oil, gas field

(WO) – Wintershall Dea and its partners, Petoro and Sval Energi, have marked a major milestone for the second phase of the operated Maria field, with the safe installation of an additional subsea template on the seabed at Haltenbanken on the west coast of Norway.

By extending the existing Maria field, the installation of a new subsea template supports the broader Wintershall Dea strategy of using nearby area infrastructure to produce new volumes in Norway. Maria is one of four offshore fields currently operated by Wintershall Dea in the country, with more under development.

“We believe that utilizing existing infrastructure to produce hydrocarbons is one of the most effective ways to deliver the energy the world needs while contributing to reaching the climate goals. We will continue to invest to deliver efficient subsea engineering in Norway,” said Michael Zechner, Managing Director of Wintershall Dea Norge.

The Maria Phase 2 project involves installation of a new six-slot template and four new wells, in the southern part of the Maria field. Maria, which is a subsea field originally developed with two templates, came on stream in 2017. This next phase of the Maria project is expected to add around 27 MMboe to the total field reserves. The expected lifetime of the Maria field is 2040.

The new template will be connected to the existing infrastructure in the Maria field. The Maria well stream goes to the Kristin platform. Water injection comes from Heidrun, while lift gas is provided from Åsgard B via the Tyrihans subsea field. Processed oil is sent to the Åsgard field for storage and export. Gas is exported via the Åsgard Transport System to Kårstø.

Maria Phase 2 is planned for start-up in 2025.

The new six-slot template will accommodate three producing wells and one water injector for pressure support. The two spare slots will be available for future development of the field.

TechnipFMC’s heavy subsea construction vessel, North Sea Atlantic, transported the 330-tonne template from Vestbase in Kristiansund in mid-Norway some 200 km to the Maria field in the Norwegian Sea, where it was installed 300 m below the sea surface. TechnipFMC was awarded the integrated Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (iEPCI) contract for Maria Phase 2 in April last year.

“The safe installation of the template is a crucial step forward for the project. Maria Phase 2 will help to prolong the lifetime of the field and surrounding infrastructure. It will increase reserves and thus secure reliable energy to Europe,” said Vedad Hadziavdic, Maria Phase 2 Project Manager at Wintershall Dea.