Aker Solutions is responsible for the project’s front-end engineering design (FEED) and detail engineering, procurement and construction management assistance (EPcma).
Skarv and Idun are combined oil and gas developments, with 75 percent of the reserves as gas and 25 percent liquids. The resource base consists of hydrocarbons from several different reservoirs and structures.
Concept studies demonstrated that the best development solution was a FPSO with subsea equipment tie-backs. “The major work for Aker Solutions has been to design the topside for the FPSO and performing the planning and execution of procurement for the topsides on behalf of BP,” says Arne Bjørlo, project director for the Skarv project until January 1. Aker Solutions also carried out the design (FEED) of the hull, based on our Tentech 975 design, and living quarters. Samsung Heavy Industry in South Korea is carrying out the fabrication and installation of the hull and topside.
“I am very pleased with the Aker Solutions project team delivering Skarv. We established ambitious delivery plans both for engineering and procurement, and the team has delivered consistently, on schedule and below budgets. This makes me very proud, and is also well recognised by our client,” says Bjørlo. Inge Laskemoen is now our project manager for Skarv.
“I am very pleased with Aker Solutions performance as EPcma contractor for the Skarv FPSO. They have delivered a quality product according to a challenging schedule. Their robust project execution processes have provided transparency and control,” says P.T. McHugh, BP’s project director on the Skarv Development Project.
“Skarv is located at a water depth of 370 meters. This is a typical place of operation for an FPSO. Such vessels are also well suited to a combined oil and gas field, like this one. An FPSO provides the necessary deck space for gas processing facilities, while at the same time allowing for storage of oil,” says Bjørlo.
Aker Solutions has a long track record, providing the majority of the floating production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) for the Norwegian continental shelf. The Skarv development includes a number of innovations on previous concepts. “The modules used on the topside are bigger than usual, stretching across the entire width of the deck. This gives us a more effective building process, because each module can be finished separately with a lot less hook-up on assembly,” says Bjørlo.
There are also innovations in terms of HSE. “BP has defined environmental targets for the vessel that in several areas are stricter than the regulations. So we have focused on finding and using solutions that minimise spill and pollution risk. For instance, there are very strict guidelines for discharged production water, twice as strict as government regulations.”