Njord platform to convert to electric operations

Equinor Energy AS plans to convert Norwegian Sea Njord A platform to electric operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the operator said in a release.

 


Njord A platform Equinor

Image source: Oil & Gas Journal

Norway: Equinor Energy AS plans to convert Norwegian Sea Njord A platform to electric operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the operator said in a release.

The electrification project is a collaboration with OKEA ASA’s development of power infrastructure from shore to its operated Draugen field

“Njord A and the Njord Bravo floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel returned to the field this autumn after extensive upgrading and will soon be ready for 20 more years of production and value creation,” said Trond Bokn, Equinor’s senior vice-president for project development. “We are now continuing the modernization of Njord by converting to electric operation. This will cut emissions from production and reduce Norwegian CO2 emissions by more than 130,000 T/year from 2027,” he said.

OKEA will be responsible for developing the power infrastructure from shore to Draugen. Equinor will be responsible for the cable from Draugen to Njord as well as modifications and upgrading on Njord A, where the two existing gas turbines for main power production will be replaced by electric power from shore via Draugen. Based on this, around 60 % of the power needed by Njord A will be covered by electricity, and the Njord Bravo FSO will be fully electrified, Equinor said.

In total, the electrification of Draugen and Njord will cut 330,000 tpy of CO2 emissions, the company continued.

The fields will have a total power demand of up to 80 MW/year and will be connected to the power grid at a transformer station at Straum in Åfjord municipality. Operated by Tension, the transformer station has a capacity of 200 MW.

The investment estimate for the whole project is around $737 M (NOK 7.3 B), of which some $302 M (NOK 3 B) covers the share of the Njord license.

Start-up is expected in first-quarter 2027.

 

Source: Oil & Gas Journal