Equinor will increase its LNG production at the Askeladd field by 18 Bcm of gas and 2 MMcm of condensate, a company press release announced on Dec. 12.

Phase 1 of the project will bring the gas and condensate from Askeladd, a satellite field of the Snøhvit field in northern Norway, through the Hammerfest LNG (HLNG) plant on the island of Melkøya. The field was developed as a subsea tie-in to the Hammerfest and Snøhvit facilities, the company stated.

Startup was delayed until this year despite the project's completion in 2020 due to a fire at the Melkøya plant.

Askeladd subsea templates
Subsea templates for Askeladd and Johan Castberg at Polarbase, Hammerfest. (Source: Jan Arne Wold / Equinor)

"The gas [from Askeladd] will help extend plateau production from Hammerfest LNG on Melkøya up to three years," Equinor vice president of operations and maintenance, Hammerfest LNG Thor Johan Haave commented in the release.

Hammerfest LNG delivers approximately 18.4 MMcm/d of gas during regular production, helping supply 6.5 million European households and accounting for 5% of all Norwegian gas exports.

The projected cost approximately NOK$4.55 billion, coming in on schedule and NOK$650 million below the original cost estimate.

"HLNG delivers significant volumes to customers in Europe, and the gas from the Barents Sea reinforces our position as a predictable and reliable gas supplier," Haave added. "Askeladd and other projects in the region will ensure further value creation and production from HLNG for decades."

Moving forward, Equinor will be adding two new wells in Askeladd West tied into exisiting infrastructure to further develop onshore compression and electrification through the company's Snøhvit Project.

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