“I am proud that the production from Yme has now started. COVID-19 has unfortunately caused the project to be delayed and more costly than expected, but we have still managed to deliver the project in a safe and reliable way. This milestone is a result of hard work and good collaboration by all involved parties, and the production from Yme will ensure a solid financial contribution to both the licensees and the Norwegian state for many years to come”.
Vidar Nedrebø
Managing Director in Repsol Norge
"Achieving first oil on deck is a demonstration of how collaborating flexible and hard-working organizations have managed to tackle challenges and re-stablish value generation from the YME field. I would like to thank all internal and external stakeholders for your hard work and dedication."
Adolfo Azcárraga
Project Director, Yme New Development
The Yme field was discovered in 1987 located in Block 9/2 and 9/5 in the Egersund Basin, approximately 130 km from the Norwegian coastline. The field was in production from 1996 to 2001. The main reason for abandonment was the combination of high cost and low oil prices. Current licensees were awarded the rights to block 9/2 and 9/5 (production license 316/316B) 18 June 2004.
A Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) for Yme re-development was approved by the Norwegian Government 11 May 2007. This re-development was based on a lease of a production unit (MOPU platform) that was installed summer 2011. Due to the discovery of significant structural defects on the MOPU it was removed from the field August 2016 and handed over to the platform-owner
On 19 December 2017 Repsol submitted a revised Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) of the Yme field to the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. On 23 March 2018 the revised plan was approved by the Ministry.
The Yme New Development Project consists of the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of a new wellhead module on top of existing facilities at the Yme field, the modifications and upgrading of the Mærsk Inspirer Mobile Offshore Drilling and Production Unit prior to installation in the field and subsequent hook-up to existing wells in and installations on the seabed offshore. Mærsk Inspirer has previously been used for drilling and production at the Volve field.
From autumn 2018 until 29 December 2020 the Mærsk Inspirer was at the Aker Solution’s yard in Egersund for upgrading and modifications work at the yard.
The Mærsk Inspirer left the Aker Solution’s yard in Egersund on the 29 December 2020 and was successfully installed at the Yme field in the Southern North Sea on 31 December 2020.
First oil on Yme was achieved in October 2021.
On 27 October 2021, Repsol Norge AS took over the day-to-day operations of the jack-up rig Inspirer (formerly Mærsk Inspirer) from Maersk Drilling. The Yme licensees will lease the rig from Havila Sirius AS under a bareboat charter.
Licensees: