The Gullfaks field is located in block 34/10 in the northern part of the North Sea. Three large production platforms with concrete substructures make up the development solution for the main field.
The Gullfaks A platform came on stream on 22 December 1986, Gullfaks B followed on 29 February 1988 and Gullfaks C on 4 November 1989.
The produced oil is transferred onto loading buoys on the field, while the gas is transported by pipeline for processing at the gas facility at Kårstø near Stavanger. From there, the gas is routed for export.
Gullfaks A is also used for storage and shipment of stable crude oil from the Vigdis, Visund and Snorre fields.
Oil and gas from Gullfaks B are transferred to A and C for processing, storage and export.
Gullfaks C has received and processed oil from the Tordis field since June 1994.
The field set a production record on 7 October 1994, with 605,965 barrels of oil.
The satellite fields Gullfaks South, Rimfaks, Skinfaks and Gullveig are developed utilising subsea wells that are remote-operated from the Gullfaks A and C platforms. The Tordis oil field is also tied into Gullfaks C.
Improved recovery measures include horizontal and extended reach wells, new technology within completion and sand control and water alternating gas injection (WAG).
Gullfaks was awarded in 1978 to the three Norwegian companies Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Saga Petroleum. What was then Statoil, now Equinor, was appointed as operator. This was the first time the authorities chose a purely Norwegian group of licensees. Interest in block 34/10, (referred to as Gullblokken - the Golden Block) prior to licence award was quite substantial.
Location: 34/10 in the northern part of the North Sea
Start-up: Gullfaks A - December 1986, Gullfaks B - February 1988, Gullfaks C - November 1989
Production: Oil and gas
Gullfaks South
Gullfaks South is located in blocks 34/10 and 33/12 in the northern part of the North Sea. Water depths in the area are from 130 to 220 metres.
The blocks were awarded in 1978/1995, respectively, and 1973 (carved out in 1998).
The field is a satellite of the Gullfaks field and the development concept is based on seabed installations. Phase I of the development was approved in March 1996, with production start in October 1998. Phase II was approved in June 1998, with production start in October 2001.
Phase I comprises production of oil and condensate, with reinjection of associated gas. The eight subsea installations in this phase are tied into the Gullfaks A platform for processing, storage and loading.
Phase II comprises production and export of gas and associated liquid volumes from the subsea installations tied into the Gullfaks A and C platforms.
The gas is routed from the Gullfaks field to Statpipe and onward to Kårstø.
Oil and condensate are stabilised, stored and loaded from the A and C platforms.
Gullfaks South also includes the separate Rimfaks and Gullveig structures.
Location: 34/10 and 33/12 in the northern part of the North Sea
Start-up: 10 October 1998
Gimle
Gimle is located in the Tampen area, between the Gullfaks and Visund fields. The Gimle well is tied into Gullfaks C.
Gimle was proven in December 2004, and the field commenced test production shortly thereafter. The discovery, previously called Topas, was proven through a 7400-metre long well drilled from the Gullfaks C platform.
The Gimle discovery extends across two licences. The owners have established the Gimle Unit which covers the Gimle area, with Equinor as operator.
Since Gimle Unit does not have the same ownership structure as Gullfaks, a tie-in and processing agreement had to be set up with the Gullfaks licence.
Start-up: 19 May 2006
Production: Oil
Gullveig
Gullveig is a satellite to the Gullfaks field in block 34/10. The satellite consists of a single subsea template, 11 kilometres west of Gullfaks.
Gullveig has production flowlines to Gullfaks A.
Gullveig has produced since 10 October 1998.
Skinfaks
Skinfaks is a satellite to the Gullfaks field in block 34/10. The satellite was proven in 2002 and consists of several smaller structures.
The development concept utilises a subsea production system connected to existing templates on the Gullfaks South satellite field.
Production from Skinfaks started on 27 January 2007.
Rimfaks
Rimfaks is a satellite to the Gullfaks field in block 34/10. The satellite consists of three templates installed on the seabed. The production flowlines from the field are connected to the Gullfaks A platform.
Rimfaks has produced since 7 February 1999.
Tordis
The Tordis oil field is situated in block 34/7 in the Tampen area and came on stream in 1994.
In addition to the main structure, Tordis, the field consists of the Tordis East (1998), Borg (1999) and Tordis Southeast (2001) structures.
Subsea installations have been utilised to develop the field. Water depth at the site is around 200 metres.
Water injection is used for pressure support in the reservoirs.
The Tordis wellstream is transported in two pipelines to the Gullfaks C platform, ten kilometres away, for processing, storage and export.
When PL 089 was awarded in 1984, former oil company Saga Petroleum was the designated operator.
Norsk Hydro took over operatorship when the company purchased Saga Petroleum in 1999.
Then Statoil, now Equinor, took over the operatorship on 1 January 2003.
Location: Block 34/7 in the Tampen area.
Start-up: 3 June 1994
Production: Oil
Tordis East
The Tordis East field is part of the Tordis area in block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea. Water depth at the site is around 200 metres.
Development of the field is based on subsea installations tied into the Tordis production facility on the Gullfaks C platform.
Production from Tordis East started in December 1998.
Location: Block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea
Start-up: December 1998
Tordis Southeast
The Tordis Southeast field is part of the Tordis area in block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea. Water depth at the site is around 200 metres.
The development concept for Tordis Southeast includes subsea installations tied into the Tordis production facility on the Gullfaks C platform.
Production from Tordis Southeast started in December 2001.
Location: Block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea
Start-up: December 2001
Borg
The Borg field is part of the Tordis area in block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea. Water depth at the site is around 200 metres.
The Borg development utilises subsea installations tied into the Tordis production facility on the Gullfaks C platform.
Production from Borg started in July 1999.
Location: Block 34/7 in the northern part of the North Sea
Start-up: July 1999