StatoilHydro Turns on Taps at Tyrihans

StatoilHydro started production from the Tyrihans oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea today, July 8.

The largest field to be brought on stream in Norway in 2009, Tyrihans is a complete subsea solution tied back to existing installations and infrastructure on the Kristin and Asgard fields in the Halten Bank area of the Norwegian Sea.

The field comprises Tyrihans South, an oil field with a gas cap, and Tyrihans North, a gas and condensate discovery with a thin oil zone. The recoverable volumes in the reservoirs are 186 million barrels of oil and condensate, and 41.5 million standard cubic meters of gas.

Its proximity to the other fields on the Halten Bank means that Tyrihans can use the existing infrastructure.

"Tyrihans is of strategic importance to StatoilHydro's development of operations in the Norwegian Sea," said Ivar Aasheim, senior vice president for the operations north cluster in Exploration & Production Norway.

"Using existing facilities makes the development profitable and Tyrihans will be an important contributor to our production on the Norwegian continental shelf."

The wellstream from Tyrihans is sent through a 43-kilometer pipeline to Kristin for processing. The gas is sent ashore through the Asgard Transport line while oil and condensate are piped to the Asgard C storage ship for onward transport by tanker. Kristin and Tyrihans share the same operations organisation.

Tyrihans is the largest field being brought on stream by StatoilHydro in 2009. Newly developed well technology secures a high recovery factor for the field's resources.

Aasheim is pleased that Tyrihans has now started production as planned.

The licensees are: StatoilHydro, operator, with 58.84%, Total E&P Norge (23.18%), ExxonMobil (11.75%), and Eni Norge (6.23%).

Tyrihans

• The field was discovered in 1982/83.
• The plan for development and operation was submitted in 2005 and approved by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy in February 2006.
• The seabed templates were installed on the field in the spring of 2007.
• Drilling began in April 2008.
• Production started in July 2009.
• A subsea facility for injection of seawater for pressure support is installed and will start operating in the summer of 2010.
• Plateau production from Tyrihans is put at 96.000 boepd in 2016 - 2017 (StatoilHydro's share 56.000 boepd).
• Tyrihans is expected to continue producing until the end of 2029.