GDF Suez Takes Over Operation of Gjoa

On Thursday 25 November the operatorship for the Gjøa field was transferred from Statoil to GDF Suez E&P Norge. This is the company’s first producing operatorship on the Norwegian continental shelf – a milestone for both GDF Suez and the Norwegian petroleum sector.

Development of the Gjøa field has been the largest recent industrial project in Norway and is opening a new area for production in the Northern North Sea. This autumn the platform was successfully installed approximately 60 kilometers west of Florø. While Statoil has been the operator during the field’s development, GDF Suez E&P Norge will be the operator of the field in production.

Gjøa has been part of the GDF Suez’ portfolio since 2003 with reserves estimated at 40 billion cubic meters of gas and 82 million barrels of oil.

Terje Overvik, managing director of GDF Suez E&P Norge said "Today, for the first time, GDF Suez becomes a production operator on the Norwegian continental shelf. This major milestone celebrates the accomplishment of a successful project and cooperation with Statoil.”

“Thanks to Gjøa GDF Suez is now one of the ten top players on the Norwegian continental shelf," stated Jean-François Cirelli, Vice-Chairman and President of GDF SUEZ.

The Gjøa field has been developed with a semi-submersible production platform and five subsea installations. The floating platform is the first to be fully powered by electricity from the mainland, reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the environment by 210 000 tonnes every year (the equivalent of annual emissions of 100 000 cars).

The daily production capacity of the Gjøa platform is 17 million cubic meters of gas and 87 000 barrels of oil. While the gas is transported directly to St. Fergus in Scotland through the FLAGS pipeline, the oil will be transported to the Mongstad refinery in Norway through the Troll II pipeline. The Gjøa field will further strengthen Europe’s security of energy supply.

The field is expected to produce oil and gas for the next 15 years, but the platform is designed for a lifetime of at least 30 years. The Gjøa platform will act as a hub in this area and from the start production from the Vega and Vega South fields will be produced through the Gjøa platform. With its long-term perspective as a production operator in the Norwegian continental shelf, GDF Suez E&P Norge focuses on technological development and high recovery rates making Gjøa a modern area solution for the future.