The authorities have granted Aker BP consent to start up the Hod B facility in the North Sea.

The operator has embarked upon the start-up process. Aker BP and the other licensees have invested nearly NOK 6.2 billion in the Hod B development.

The reserves are estimated at 6.3 million standard cubic metres of oil, which is equivalent to 40 million barrels. The field is expected to produce until 2049.

Hod B in the North Sea will soon come on stream, thanks to an unmanned facility remote-controlled from the Valhall field. (illustration: Aker BP)

“There are major remaining recoverable volumes in several fields on the NCS that have already been shut down. The experience gained and lessons learned from the redevelopment of Hod can blaze a trail for the development of additional shut down fields, in part through coordinated development with other fields in the area,” says Thomas Mørch, head of Licence Management in the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

The Hod field is located in the southern part of the Norwegian sector, 13 kilometres south of the Valhall field. Hod was proven in 1974 and the plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved in 1988. Production started in 1990.

The field has been developed with an unmanned wellhead facility, remotely controlled from Valhall. The plan is to remove the Hod facility in 2025.

A PDO for a new unmanned facility was approved in December 2020. Hod B was installed on the field in July and August 2021.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Aker bp Norway country profile  

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