Development

Johan Sverdrup is a field on the Utsira High in the central part of the North Sea, 65 kilometres northeast of the Sleipner fields. The water depth is 115 metres. Johan Sverdrup was discovered in 2010 and the plan for development and operation (PDO) for Phase I was approved in 2015. The development solution for the first development phase is a field centre with four specialised platforms: living quarters, process, drilling and riser facilities. The four platforms are connected by bridges. The drilling platform has 48 well slots and is prepared for simultaneous drilling, well intervention and production. The field is operated with power from shore. In 2019, the production from Phase I started and the PDO for Phase II was approved. It includes a process platform and five subsea templates, in addition to modifications on the riser platform. The production from Phase II started in 2022/2023.

Reservoir

The main reservoir contains oil in Upper Jurassic intra-Draupne sandstone. The reservoir depth is 1900 metres. The quality of the main reservoir is excellent with very high permeability. The remaining oil resources are in sandstone in the Upper Triassic Statfjord Group and Middle to Upper Jurassic Vestland Group, as well as in spiculites in the Upper Jurassic Viking Group. Oil was also proven in Permian Zechstein carbonates.

Recovery strategy

The field is produced by water injection as pressure support, as well as gas lift in the production wells.

Transport

Stabilised oil is exported from the riser platform through a new oil export pipeline that is connected to existing underground storage caverns at the Mongstad terminal. The gas is exported from the riser platform to the Kårstø terminal through a new pipeline connected to Statpipe.

Status

Johan Sverdrup accounts for about one third of the Norwegian oil production. The field is currently producing with high regularity at plateau, close to the current oil handling capacity. The oil handling capacity was increased after a capacity test in May 2023.