Equinor is developing a 88MW floating wind project off Norway to power the Gullfaks and Snorre oil fields.
The 11-turbine Hywind Tampen would be located between platforms in the northern North Sea. The project was first reported exclusively by subscriber-only reNEWS in June.
Hardware would meet about 35% of annual power demand of a total of five platforms at Snorre and Gullfaks.
Equinor predicts the 8MW turbines could cut CO2 emissions by more than 200,000 tones per year.
The Norwegian outfit said the projects are the “best match” for powering installation with floating wind, according to an “extensive study”.
Capital and development costs are pegged at around Nkr5bn, with Nkr566m being provided by an industry NOx fund.
Equinor and its partners are also looking to tap into state financial support for innovative offshore wind projects.
A final investment decision is planned for next year.
“The partners have now made a concept choice for an offshore wind farm tied in to the two fields,” said project director Olav-Bernt Haga.
“This is still a groundbreaking and challenging project that requires optimisation of the technical solutions and further cost reductions before the partners can make a potential investment decision.”
“I am pleased that the partnership has managed to mature this from an idea to a concept choice,” added executive vice president for development and production Norway Arne Sigve Nylund.
“In order to maintain profitable operations on the NCS in the long term, it is essential that we do our utmost to further reduce the carbon footprint from our activities.”
Vice president for new energy solutions Pal Eitrheim said: “Reducing the use of gas turbines by supplying platforms with power from floating offshore wind is a challenging and innovative project.
“It may also facilitate new industrial opportunities for Norway, Equinor and Norwegian supply industry within profitable renewable energy, while enabling oil and gas production with low CO2 emissions.”
Image: Equinor
Equinor floats Hywind Tampen
By EBS