Kvaerner and Aker Solutions have cut the first steel plate for the Johan Sverdrup phase 2 project in the North Sea.
Image: Fabrication work begins for Johan Sverdrup phase 2 project. Photo: courtesy of Aker Solutions.
Equinor and its partners are developing the Johan Sverdrup phase 2 project in the North Sea with an investment of $4.92bn.
According to Kvaerner, the first steel for Johan Sverdrup phase 2 was cut at its Stord yard in Norway, which marks the start of the fabrication work for the offshore project.
The Norwegian engineering and construction services firm said that the first steel plate being cut will be used at a bridge support module which will be placed where a new bridge is connected to the riser platform of the Johan Sverdrup development.
Since May 2018, Kvaerner has been working with Aker Solutions in a 50:50 joint venture to support the Johan Sverdrup Riser Platform modification project.
Under the contract valued at NOK3.4bn ($396.35m), the duo is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction and installation of a 5,000 metric-ton utility module along with modifications of the field center and integration of a second processing platform.
The utility module is being built at the Stord yard, while its prefabrication will be carried out by multiple subcontractors in Poland. Aker Solutions will use its yard in Egersund for the prefabrication for the offshore integration with the overall contract work is slated to be completed in 2022.
Kvaerner CEO Karl-Petter Løken said: “Phase 2 of Johan Sverdrup is realised through solid cooperation between Equinor and the Norwegian supplier industry to reduce field development costs significantly.
“This means even higher value creation for Norway, both through industrial development and employment throughout the country, and it includes significant income from future production of oil and gas.”
Kvaerner said that the contract work will involve nearly 550 of its workforce and an additional 300 from Aker Solutions at the peak stage. Overall, the contract work is expected to create close to 2,000 jobs, said Kvaerner.
In late October, the Norwegian firm won a contract worth about $107m from Equinor for a steel substructure for the processing platform of Johan Sverdrup phase 2 project. Kvaerner expects to deliver the steel jacket substructure from its Verdal facility during spring 2021.
The Johan Sverdrup phase 2 development is scheduled to commence production in the fourth quarter of 2022. Equinor is the operator of the Johan Sverdrup field and is partnered by Lundin Norway, Petoro, Aker BP and Total.