Norway’s Equinor partially evacuates North Sea platform, suspends production
Gullfaks C has received and processed oil from the Tordis field since June 1994.
Norway’s state-owned energy giant Equinor suspended production at its Gullfaks C platform late on 18 August due to a “well control incident.”
The incident also saw some of the platform’s workers evacuated and taken to shore.
A spokesman said the company had a “well control incident at Gullfaks C” but added that the well was now stable.
A UK media outlet also cited the spokesman as saying that the removal of some of the personnel, who were working on non-critical elements within the facility, was a “pre-emptive measure”.
The Gullfaks field is located in block 34/10 in the northern part of the North Sea, according to Equinor’s website.
Equinor has a 51% stake in the field, with the remaining stake held by several European energy companies.
Three large production platforms – notably A, B and C – with concrete substructures occupy the main field.
The Gullfaks A platform came on stream on 22 December 1986, Gullfaks B followed on 29 February 1988, and Gullfaks C on 4 November 1989, said the company.
The crude oil is transferred onto loading buoys on the field while the gas is transported by pipeline for processing at the gas facility at Kårstø near Stavanger.
Gullfaks C has received and processed oil from the Tordis field since June 1994. The field set a production record on 7 October 1994, with 605,965 barrels of oil.
Norwegian authorities said gas production capacity at the field will be cut by 6.6 million cubic metres per day on Monday.
Formerly Statoil ASA, Equinor ASA has core activities that include the exploration, production, and marketing of oil and gas, as well as the development of renewable and low-carbon energy solutions.
Published: 20-08-2024
