Statoil's Gullfaks subsea compression station powered by Nexans umbilicals

Nexans' power umbilicals will power two subsea compressors at the Gullfaks field off the coast of Norway

The Statoil operated Gullfaks gas field in the Norwegian Sea will rely on Nexans' innovative power umbilicals combining power, fiber-optic and hydraulic lines in a single cross section. The cables were successfully handed over to Statoil this month.

The subsea gas compression station will be installed on the seafloor at the Gullfaks Sør satellite field, 15 km from the Gullfaks C platform. It will increase total gas extraction by 22 million barrels.

The cables will power two five-megawatt gas compressors at a depth of 135 metres. The 650 tonne station will be housed in a 420 tonne protective structure, managing a flow rate of 10 million cubic metres per day.

Subsea compression is used when reservoir pressure falls below a critical level, reducing gas production. By compressing the gas on the seafloor, pressure in the pipelines is increased. Gas flows faster and allowing more to be extracted from the field. Subsea compression increases production, as well as the lifetime of the field.

The Gullfaks field is located 160 km west of Sognefjorden, Norway. The subsea gas compression station will be only the second of its kind in the world. Nexans delivered umbilicals to the first subsea compression station at the Åsgard gas field, also operated by Statoil, last year.

Subsea wet gas compression is suitable for small and midsized fields because of the compact size of the compressor. The solution can be installed in new or existing fields opening up possibilities for developing fields in the Arctic and other deep water regions.

Dirk Steinbrink, Senior Executive Vice President of High Voltage & Underwater Cable Business at Nexans, said, "We are proud of our position at the cutting edge of this development. The long-term partnership between Statoil and Nexans over many years has been important in facilitating this technological development".

The Gullfaks compression station will be in operation later this year.


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