Aker BP gets all-clear to ramp up Skarv output
Aker BP has secured permission from Norway's government to increase gas exports from the Skarv field, the country's energy ministry reported on March 28, meaning the company will be able to capitalise on soaring European gas prices.
Until now, Aker BP has injected nearly half of the gas extracted at Skarv back into reservoirs in order to boost oil recovery, but the company said in February it was considering freeing up more gas supply for export. Data published by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) shows the field yielded 8bn m3 of gas in 2021, but only 4.5bn m3 was sold.
Equinor made a similar decision last year to ramp up gas exports from the Heidrun and Gina Krog fields by reducing the amount that it reinjected. It is also working with its partners and Norwegian authorities to increase gas production from the Troll and Oseberg fields.
Operator Aker BP has a 23.8% interest in Skarv, which is located in the north of the Norwegian Sea, and delivers gas to the Kaarstoe processing plant onshore Norway before it is sent to Europe. Equinor holds a 36.2% interest, while Wintershall DEA has 28.1% and PGNiG has 11.9%.
Norwegian gas supply surpassed the state forecast by 7.5% in January, averaging 342.2mn m3/day, according to the NPD. The outlook for Norwegian gas has improved dramatically over the past year, not only because of soaring gas prices in Europe but also the continent's ambition to end reliance on Russian gas as soon as possible in light of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The country's production would be higher were it not for the closure of the Hammerfest LNG plant in September 2020 following a serious fire. The facility's restart has been repeatedly published back, though the current schedule sees it resuming LNG exports in mid-May.