
The Snorre oil field is a significant discovery in the North Sea, with estimated reserves of 3.1 billion barrels of oil.
Located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the field was discovered in 1979 and has been in production since 1992.
The Snorre field is a complex of several oil and gas reservoirs, with the main reservoir being the Snorre Formation.
The field is operated by Equinor, a Norwegian energy company, in partnership with several other companies.
Production and Reserves
The Snorre oil field is a significant production site in the North Sea, with a complex infrastructure to support its operations. The field is operated by Statoil, and it has undergone several upgrades over the years to enhance its production capacity.
Snorre A platform is a floating steel facility that serves as a hub for drilling, processing, and accommodation. It's connected to a subsea template with ten well slots, known as Snorre UPA, which is located centrally in the field.
The Snorre field produces oil and gas, which are piped to the nearby Statfjord A platform for final processing. Oil from Snorre B platform is piped 45 kilometers to Statfjord B platform for storage and export.
The Snorre Expansion Project, which started production in 2020, added nearly 200 million barrels of recoverable oil reserves to the field. This project extended the Snorre field's productive life through 2040.
The total reserves of the Snorre oil field consist of 1.6 billion barrels of oil, 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas, and 4.8 million tons of natural gas liquids.
Here's a breakdown of the original recoverable reserves and remaining reserves of the Snorre oil field:
Expansion Project
The Snorre oil field expansion project is a significant development in the North Sea. A total of 24 new wells, including 12 producer wells and 12 for injection, will be developed over the coming years at depths ranging between 300m and 380m.
The expansion project includes six new subsea templates with four wells each, which will be tied into the Snorre A platform by pipelines and umbilicals. The Snorre A platform is being upgraded for the reception and production activities from the new subsea templates.
The project involves the import and injection of additional gas from the Gullfaks field to support enhanced oil recovery. A 24km-long, 12in-diameter gas pipeline will be constructed to import gas from the Gullfaks field.
The Snorre A platform is being modified to handle the well stream from the new subsea development, as well as to supply water and gas for the new injection wells. A Riser Hang-Off module was installed on the Snorre A platform in April 2020.
TechnipFMC received an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the subsea production systems, including six subsea templates and manifolds for the Snorre field expansion project in December 2017.
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Platforms
The Snorre oil field has two main platforms, Snorre A and Snorre B, each with its own unique design and functionality.
Snorre A is a tension leg platform that's moored to the seabed by 16 steel tethers. It can produce up to 60,000 barrels of oil per day.
The platform is quite massive, with a 30,000t steel hull and a 30,000t steel deck. It was built by Kvaerner Rosenberg and Aker Stord, respectively.
Snorre A was originally put into operation in August 1992. It's a testament to the engineering prowess of the time.
Snorre B, on the other hand, is a four-column semi-submersible platform. It's equipped with a subsea production system and lies approximately 7km north of Snorre A.
The platform transports oil to the Statfjord B platform for storage and export via a 45km-long pipeline.
Geology and Infrastructure
The Snorre oil field's geology and infrastructure are quite impressive. The field comprises two platforms, Snorre A and Snorre B, and a subsea tieback called Snorre UPA.
The Snorre A platform is situated in the southern part of the field and came on stream in August 1992. It's a tension-leg platform with integrated production, drilling, and living quarters unit.
The Snorre B platform, located in the northern part of the field, started production in June 2001. It's a semi-submersible platform with integrated production, drilling, and living quarters facilities.
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Geology

The Snorre field's geology is quite fascinating. The reservoir lies in the fluvial sands of the Lunde formation from the late Triassic period and the Statfjord formation is early Jurassic.
The field's reservoir is situated at a depth ranging from 2,000m to 2,700m beneath the seabed. This is a significant depth, and it's impressive that we can extract resources from such a great depth.
The Snorre reserves lie in the fluvial sands of the Lunde formation from the late Triassic period and the Statfjord formation is early Jurassic. These formations are key to understanding the geology of the Snorre field.
The water depth in the field area ranges from 295m to 380m. This variation in depth is likely due to the unique geological features of the area.
Here's a quick rundown of the geological formations involved:
- Lunde formation: late Triassic period
- Statfjord formation: early Jurassic
The Snorre field is located in blocks 34/4 and 34/7 in the Tampen area of the northern North Sea. This is a remote and challenging environment for extracting resources.
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Infrastructure Facilities

The Snorre field has two main platforms, Snorre A and Snorre B, with a subsea tieback called Snorre UPA.
Snorre A, located in the southern part of the field, is a tension-leg platform with integrated production, drilling, and living quarters unit. It started production in August 1992.
The Snorre UPA, situated in the central part of the field, is a subsea development tied-back to the Snorre A platform. It receives well stream from the nearby Vigdis field.
Snorre B, located in the northern part of the field, is a semi-submersible platform with integrated production, drilling, and living quarters facilities. It started production in June 2001.
The Snorre A platform is being upgraded to receive and produce activities from six new subsea templates that will be connected by pipelines and umbilicals.
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Project Details
The Snorre oil field is a significant project in the North Sea, with a total of 24 new wells planned to be developed over the coming years. These wells will be drilled at depths ranging between 300m and 380m.
The wells will be divided into 12 producer wells and 12 injection wells, with five of the new wells already coming online by December 2020.
The expansion project involves the establishment of six new subsea templates, which will be connected to the Snorre A platform by pipelines and umbilicals. The Snorre A platform will also be upgraded to receive and produce activities from the new subsea templates.
Here's a breakdown of the project details:
The expansion project is expected to extend the lifetime of the Snorre field to 2040 and will increase the recoverable reserves by a significant amount, with 195 million barrels predicted to be recovered.
Table 1: Project Details
The Snorre field expansion project is a significant undertaking that involves various components. The project includes six new subsea templates with four wells each.
One of the key aspects of the project is the drilling of new wells. A total of 24 wells, including 12 production wells and 12 injection wells, are planned to be drilled as part of the expansion project.

The Snorre A platform is being modified to handle the well stream from the new subsea development, as well as to supply water and gas for the new injection wells. A Riser Hang-Off module was installed on the Snorre A platform in April 2020.
The project is expected to commence production in 2021 and will extend the lifetime of the Snorre field to 2040.
Here is a summary of the project details:
Table 2: Reserves
The Snorre Oil and Gas Field has a significant amount of reserves, which are crucial for its production. The field's reserves consist of 1.6 billion barrels of oil, 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas, and 4.8 million tons of natural gas liquids.
According to Table 2: Reserves, the field's original recoverable reserves of oil were 1903.99 million barrels in 2022. The remaining reserves of oil were estimated to be 413.62 million barrels in 2022.
The recoverable reserves of gas were 6650 million cubic meters in 2022, with no remaining reserves. The recoverable reserves of NGL were 55.22 million barrels in 2020, with no remaining reserves.
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The field's reserves have been estimated in various ways over the years. In 1987, the plan for development and operation estimated recoverable reserves of 310.7 million standard cubic meters of oil, 6.7 million standard cubic meters of gas, and 9 million standard cubic meters of natural gas liquids.
Here's a summary of the field's reserves:
Table 4: Locations
The Snorre Oil and Gas Field is located offshore, in Norway. This is a significant detail to note when considering the project's scope and feasibility.
The field's exact location can be pinpointed using the coordinates 61.4891, 2.1776 (WGS 84). This precision is crucial for any further analysis or planning.
The map provided in the article section offers a visual representation of the field's location, providing a clear and concise overview of the area.
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Contracts and Contractors
The Snorre oil field has a long history of complex and ambitious projects, and one of the most interesting aspects of this is the contracts and contractors involved.
FMC Technologies was awarded a subsea equipment contract in January 2010, marking the beginning of a significant expansion project.
Aker was awarded a contract to carry out engineering and maintenance work for the offshore installations at the field in June 2010.
Technip received a €23m contract in August 2010 to connect the Snorre A and B platforms through a 9km-long rigid steel flow-line.
Equinor signed contracts with several major companies, including TechnipFMC, Subsea 7, and Transocean for the expansion project.
In December 2017, TechnipFMC received an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the subsea production systems, including six subsea templates and manifolds for the Snorre field expansion project.
Aibel was awarded a contract worth approximately £143m ($191m) for extensive modifications on the Snorre A platform in December 2017.
The contract included the installation of a new 600t Riser Hang-Off module, a significant addition to the platform.
Subsea7 was contracted for the engineering, fabrication, and installation of three pipeline bundles and 31 spools for the Snorre field expansion project in December 2017.
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DeepOcean was contracted to perform marine installations for the Snorre expansion project in January 2018, including the installation of riser systems and umbilical systems on the Snorre A platform.
Transocean received a contract to drill wells for the Snorre expansion project in December 2017.
Halliburton was selected for integrated well services, while Deep Ocean was chosen for marine installations, highlighting the complexity of the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the partners of snorre field?
The Snorre field partners include Statoil Petroleum AS, Petoro AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS, DEA Norge AS, and Point Resources AS. These six companies hold a combined stake of 100% in the Snorre field.
What is the world's biggest oil field?
The world's largest oil field is Saudi Arabia's Ghawar Field, producing nearly four million barrels daily. It holds an estimated 88-104 billion barrels of oil reserves.
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