The partnership in Irpa submitted today the plan for the development and operation (PDO) of the gas discovery to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. The partnership is Equinor Energy AS (operator) 51%, Petoro (20%), Wintershall DEA (19%) and Shell (10%). The development will ensure safe supplies of gas to Europe.
Irpa, formerly Asterix, was found in 2009 in deep water in the Norwegian Sea 340 km west of Bodø. The discovery will be developed with three wells and an 80-km long pipeline to Aasta Hansteen. The development will ensure activity and stable gas deliveries from Aasta Hansteen until 2039. The gas will be transported through existing infrastructure and transported via Polarled to the Nyhamna gas processing plant. From there, the gas will be transported via the Langeled pipeline system to customers in the UK and on the continent. - The development utilizes existing infrastructure, which ensures value creation at the same time as it ensures long-term, predictable gas deliveries, says managing director of Petoro, Kristin Kragseth.
Expected recoverable resources are estimated at approx. 20 billion standard cubic metres, equivalent to the consumption of over 2.38 million UK households for seven years.