Nexans has been awarded a major contract to provide complex umbilicals with power, fiber-optic and hydraulic elements for the next stage of the multi-phased Snøhvit development.

The Askeladd development, at a water depth of about 250 meters, will supply 21 billion cubic metres of gas and two million cubic metres of condensate to the Hammerfest LNG plant, with production scheduled to come on stream towards the end of 2020. It will tie-in to the existing Snøhvit field infrastructure which features Nexans’ umbilicals installed in previous projects - including a 145 kilometer umbilical that is still the longest umbilical in the world.

For the Askeladd development, Nexans will provide static subsea umbilicals with a complex cross-section comprising 3 kilovolt (kV) power, fiber-optic communications and hydraulic elements for chemical injection, together with a range of connection and termination accessories.

The electrical and fiber optic elements will be manufactured at the Nexans Norway facility in Rognan, North Norway with its 250 skilled and experienced employees. The contract would also involve over 50 local subcontractors and vendors. The complete umbilical system will be developed, manufactured and tested at Nexans Norway facility in Halden, Norway. 

Vincent Dessale, Nexans Senior Executive Vice President Subsea and Land Systems Business Group, said: 
“Equinor’s Snøhvit development is a perfect example of how advanced technology can enable the effective operation of subsea gas fields with no need for surface installations. We are therefore delighted to further extend our involvement in this ground-breaking project by winning this major contract to provide the complex umbilicals required for the new Askeladd development".

The delivery of the Nexans umbilicals for the Askeladd development is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.