Aker BP commences production at Hanz oil and gas field in Norwegian North Sea

Aker BP has officially started production at the Hanz oil and gas field, located in license 028 B in the Norwegian North Sea. This development represents a significant step in the utilization of existing infrastructure to boost new production efficiently and sustainably.

The decision to proceed with the Hanz project was taken in December 2021 by Aker BP and its partners, Equinor and Sval Energy, with an initial investment estimated at NOK3.3 billion ($300 million). Since then, the total investment has risen to approximately NOK5 billion ($454 million), reflecting the scope and scale of the project. Aker BP, holding a 35% stake, operates the field, while Equinor and Sval Energy hold 50% and 15% stakes, respectively.

The Hanz field has been developed as a tieback to the Ivar Aasen platform, located about 15km to the south on the Utsira High. This platform has been operational under Aker BP’s management since late 2016. The Hanz field, discovered in 1997 and situated in a water depth of 115 meters, is estimated to hold total reserves of about 20 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).

Aker BP has officially started production at the Hanz oil and gas field

Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Aker BP, highlighted the project’s innovative aspects: “This is yet another great example of what we can achieve working as one team with our suppliers towards a common goal and with shared incentives. In addition, innovative solutions with reuse of infrastructure and use of cross-flow well have contributed to lower costs and lower emissions.”

The project has implemented optimized development solutions, including the reuse of subsea production systems (SPS) from the Jette field, marking a first in repurposing production equipment for new field development on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The revised strategy for oil and gas recovery now includes a cross-flow well for water injection, which significantly reduces power consumption, chemical usage, and seabed equipment needs.

Stine Kongshaug McIntosh, Projects Edvard Grieg and Ivar Aasen VP, commented on the project’s efficiency: “This development solution will be more cost-efficient and have a smaller environmental footprint than originally planned for. This is in line with Aker BP’s continuous search for improvements, where the goal is to produce with low costs and low emissions.”