Wintershall Dea and its partners have installed the Maria Phase 2 template on the seabed at Haltenbanken on Norway’s western coast.
According to Wintershall Dea, this marks a significant milestone for the second phase of the company-operated Maria field in the southern Norwegian Sea.
The 330-tonne template was transported by the North Sea Atlantic heavy subsea construction vessel of TechnipFMC from Vestbase in Kristiansund in mid-Norway nearly 200km to the Maria field. It was installed 300m beneath the surface of the sea.
TechnipFMC holds the integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) contract for Maria Phase 2, which it won in April 2022.
Along with the installed six-slot subsea template, the Phase 2 project calls for the drilling of four new wells in the southern part of the Maria field.
The second phase of the Maria project is projected to increase the total field reserves by approximately 27 million barrels of oil equivalent. The expected operational lifespan of the Maria field extends until 2040 following the execution of Phase 2.
Wintershall Dea aims to begin production from Maria Phase 2 in 2025.
The new six-slot template is designed to house three production wells and one water injector for pressure support. Additionally, there are two extra slots reserved for further development of the field in the future.
The company said that the installation of the new subsea template in the extended Maria field aligns with its strategy of leveraging nearby infrastructure to generate additional volumes in Norway.
Wintershall Dea Norge managing director Michael Zechner said: “We believe that utilising existing infrastructure to produce hydrocarbons is one of the most effective ways to deliver the energy the world needs while contributing to reaching the climate goals. We will continue to invest to deliver efficient subsea engineering in Norway.”
The Maria field, which has been producing since December 2017, is operated by Wintershall Dea Norge with a 50% stake. The other partners are Petoro and Sval Energi with stakes of 30% and 20%, respectively.
