Fossil Energy – Norway
A major milestone has been reached in the southern North Sea, where Norwegian operator Aker BP has successfully installed the jacket for a new production platform on the mature Valhall oilfield.
This new infrastructure will play a key role in unlocking nearby gas reserves and modernising the field for decades to come.
The installation of the Valhall PWP jacket was carried out with the help of two of the world’s largest offshore heavy-lift vessels: Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit and Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir. In addition to the installation, the teams safely removed an old production platform, which has now been transported to Aker Solutions’ yard in Stord for dismantling, sorting, and recycling.
“This marks the end of one era—and the beginning of another 40 years of energy production at Valhall,” Aker BP shared on LinkedIn. “It’s a key step as we continue to deliver energy safely and efficiently, with industry-leading low production emissions intensity.”
The Valhall PWP & Fenris project represents a $6.6 billion investment, targeting 230 million barrels of oil equivalent in recoverable resources. It’s designed to modernise the Valhall field centre and enable the development of the nearby Fenris gas field.
The development includes a new production and wellhead platform with 24 well slots, bridge-linked to the existing Valhall complex, along with an unmanned platform at Fenris (formerly King Lear) connected via a 50-kilometre tieback to the PWP.
Production is expected to begin in 2027, following the drilling of development wells at both Valhall PWP and Fenris, set to start this summer.
Since first coming on stream in 1982, the Valhall field has produced more than one billion barrels of oil equivalent. Aker BP’s long-term ambition is to match that achievement again—over the next 40 years.