StatoilHydro Schedules Shutdown at Snohvit

Production from the Snohvit field in the Barents Sea is due to stop on October 4 for a planned 30 days to replace two heat exchangers at the gas liquefaction plant.

The equipment to be removed from the Melkoya facility outside Hammerfest in northern Norway was new when Snohvit came on-stream about a year ago.

However, the design criteria for these components have since changed. The two new units are constructed to last for the producing life of the field.

Although new heat exchangers were ordered in early 2008, a long delivery period meant that they could not be replaced during the turnaround this summer.

A number of other heat exchangers of the same type but of varying sizes are also due for inspection during the shutdown in order to monitor their condition.