First oil production from a fixed Norwegian platform

by the Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Crude oil began to flow from the first fixed installation on the Norwegian continental shelf in April 1974. The facility in question was Ekofisk 2/4 A, part of the phase II development.

— Ekofisk 2/4 A was part of the phase II development. Photo: Hans Claesson/Norwegian Petroleum Museum

The jacket for the platform was built in France by Heerema/UIE, with piling and foundation work for this support structure completed in February 1973.

Everything was ready to install the topside modules when news came from Rotterdam that one had been dropped during loading onto the barge. The damage was slight and would only take a month to repair. Then the Dutch port was hit by a strike.

The modules did not start their journey until April 1973, but then the wind got up and the barge had to turn back. They finally arrived in May.

Challenger lifted all the modules into place in June, and the accommodation module was ready for occupation by the end of the month. The derrick followed in September, ready to open its first well. All equipment and flowlines had been tested by April 1974, ready to come on stream.

The first oil flowed from production well A-13 on 25 April. Until June, only 2/4 A and Gulftide were producing on the field. Gulftide ceased production that May.[REMOVE]Fotnote: Kvendseth, Stig S, Giant Discovery. A History of Ekofisk Through the First 20 Years, 1988: 80-89.