Snøhvit
Encyclopedia
Snøhvit is the name of a natural gas field
in the Norwegian Sea
, situated 140 kilometres (87 mi) northwest of Hammerfest
, Norway
. The northern part of the Norwegian Sea is often described as the Barents Sea by offshore petroleum companies. Snøhvit is also the name of a development of Snøhvit and the two neighbouring natural gas fields Albatross and Askeladden. Estimated recoverable reserves are 193 billion cubic meters of natural gas
, 113 Moilbbl of condensate (light oil), and 5.1 million tonnes of natural gas liquids (NGL
). The development comprises 21 wells. The Snøhvit development is operated by Statoil
on behalf of six gas companies owning licenses:
The fields were discovered in 1984. The development plan was presented by Statoil in 2001. A subsea production system is planned to feed a land-based plant on the island of Melkøya via 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) long submarine gas pipeline with diameter of 680 millimetres (26.8 in). The gas from Snøhvit will be used for LNG
production. The total costs of field development will be around NOK 34.2 billion. The LNG plant will emit 920,000 tonnes of each year, an increase of Norway's total
emissions by almost 2%.
The annual export capacity is 5.75 bcm of LNG, 747,000 t of condensate and 247,000 t of LPG
. Long-term export contracts have been signed with Iberdrola
in Spain
and El Paso
in the USA.
There are also limited amounts of crude oil in this field. The recent discovery of the nearby Goliat oil field
has made the oil reserves at Snøhvit more exploitable.
The development of Snøhvit sparked political controversy in Norway, as it was the first discovery in the Barents Sea
to be developed. Environmental groups like Natur og Ungdom
and Bellona
argued that the Barents Sea is too sensitive for oil and gas production, and that the Melkøya LNG plant would drastically increase Norway's emissions. In the summer of 2002, protesters from Natur og Ungdom
were arrested by the police after blocking the construction of the LNG plant at Melkøya for 10 days.
Natural gas field
Oil and natural gas are produced by the same geological process according fossil fuel suggestion: anaerobic decay of organic matter deep under the Earth's surface. As a consequence, oil and natural gas are often found together...
in the Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
, situated 140 kilometres (87 mi) northwest of Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The northern part of the Norwegian Sea is often described as the Barents Sea by offshore petroleum companies. Snøhvit is also the name of a development of Snøhvit and the two neighbouring natural gas fields Albatross and Askeladden. Estimated recoverable reserves are 193 billion cubic meters of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, 113 Moilbbl of condensate (light oil), and 5.1 million tonnes of natural gas liquids (NGL
NGL
NGL may refer to:*Next Generation Learning*Natural gas liquids*Next-generation lithography*Next Generation Logistics*No Greater Love*Nordic Green Left*NGL *North German Lloyd, a German shipping company...
). The development comprises 21 wells. The Snøhvit development is operated by Statoil
Statoil
Statoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
on behalf of six gas companies owning licenses:
- PetoroPetoroPetoro, a company wholly owned by the state of Norway, manages Norway's portfolio of exploration and production licenses for petroleum and natural gas on the Norwegian continental shelf. This portfolio is collectively called State's Direct Financial Interest . The company also has a control...
- TotalTotal S.A.Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
- GDF SuezGDF SuezGDF Suez S.A. is a French multinational energy company which operates in the fields of electricity generation and distribution, natural gas and renewable energy. The world's largest utility after taking control of Britain's International Power, the company was initially formed by the merger of Gaz...
- StatoilStatoilStatoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
- HessHess CorporationThe Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
- RWE Dea
The fields were discovered in 1984. The development plan was presented by Statoil in 2001. A subsea production system is planned to feed a land-based plant on the island of Melkøya via 160 kilometres (99.4 mi) long submarine gas pipeline with diameter of 680 millimetres (26.8 in). The gas from Snøhvit will be used for LNG
Liquefied natural gas
Liquefied natural gas or LNG is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport....
production. The total costs of field development will be around NOK 34.2 billion. The LNG plant will emit 920,000 tonnes of each year, an increase of Norway's total
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions by almost 2%.
The annual export capacity is 5.75 bcm of LNG, 747,000 t of condensate and 247,000 t of LPG
Liquified petroleum gas
Liquefied petroleum gas is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles. It is increasingly used as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant, replacing chlorofluorocarbons in an effort to reduce damage to the ozone layer...
. Long-term export contracts have been signed with Iberdrola
Iberdrola
Iberdrola , headquartered in Bilbao, is a private utility with a global footprint and over 150 years of experience...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and El Paso
El Paso Corp.
El Paso Corporation , provides natural gas and related energy products and is one of North America's largest natural gas producers. It is headquartered in Houston, Texas. United States....
in the USA.
There are also limited amounts of crude oil in this field. The recent discovery of the nearby Goliat oil field
Goliat field
Goliat field is an offshore oil field in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea. It is located northwest of Hammerfest. The license owned by Eni Norge AS and Statoil Petroleum AS . It was awarded in 1997. Oil was discovered in 2000. The field development concept was approved by the Government...
has made the oil reserves at Snøhvit more exploitable.
The development of Snøhvit sparked political controversy in Norway, as it was the first discovery in the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
to be developed. Environmental groups like Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom which translates Nature and Youth, also known in English as Young Friends of the Earth Norway is a Norwegian youth environment protecting organisation. It is the only environmentalist youth organisation in Norway. 7000 members in 80 local groups work on environmental issues all...
and Bellona
Bellona Foundation
The Bellona Foundation is a multi-disciplinary international environmental NGO based in Oslo, Norway. Founded in 1986 by Frederic Hauge and Rune Haaland as a direct action protest group, it has since blossomed into a recognized technology and solution-oriented environmental champion with offices on...
argued that the Barents Sea is too sensitive for oil and gas production, and that the Melkøya LNG plant would drastically increase Norway's emissions. In the summer of 2002, protesters from Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom which translates Nature and Youth, also known in English as Young Friends of the Earth Norway is a Norwegian youth environment protecting organisation. It is the only environmentalist youth organisation in Norway. 7000 members in 80 local groups work on environmental issues all...
were arrested by the police after blocking the construction of the LNG plant at Melkøya for 10 days.