Plan for Johan Sverdrup Phase 2 approved

The plan for development and operation (PDO) of the second phase of the Johan Sverdrup field development was formally approved by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE) on 15 May, the same day construction started on the field’s second processing platform at Aibel’s yard in Haugesund.

Johan Sverdrup is the biggest field development on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) since the 1980s. Phase two of the development, with planned start-up in 4Q2022, will increase field production from 440,000 b/d of oil to 660,000 b/d.  In addition to construction of a new processing platform (P2), the development will also include modifications of the riser platform, five subsea systems, and preparations for power supply from shore to the Utsira High in 2022.

The first phase of the Johan Sverdrup development is approaching 90% completion and production is expected to start in November this year.

The Johan Sverdrup field is powered from shore, placing it among the oil and gas fields with the lowest CO₂ emissions in the world. In the second phase the field will also supply shore power to other fields on the Utsira High, including the Edvard Grieg, Gina Krog and Ivar Aasen fields. Emission reductions from Johan Sverdrup alone are estimated at more than 620,000 tonnes of CO₂ on average per year, corresponding to annual emissions from 310,000 private cars, according to Equinor.

Johan Sverdrup is estimated to hold some 2.2–3.2bn boe. Phases 1 and 2 combined will have a total production capacity of 660,000 b/d. The project, which is being developed by Equinor (operator, 40.0267%), Lundin Norway (22.6%), Petoro (17.36%), Aker BP (11.5733%) and Total (8.44%), has a breakeven price below $20/b.

Steel cut for Johan Sverdrup performed by Kjell-Børge Freiberg, Minister of Petroleum and Energy, and Aibel apprentice Hannah Pettersen
Photo: Håkon Fonseca Nordang/Equinor