Floating wind farm to power oil and gas platforms

The license partners of the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas fields, including Vår Energi, have made a final investment decision for the Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm development. The oil and gas platforms will be the first ever powered by a floating offshore wind farm.

Today, two updated plans for development and operation will be submitted to Norwegian authorities. The wind farm will be located some 140 kilometres from shore in 260-300 metres of water between the Snorre and Gullfaks platforms. Vår Energi currently holds 1.1% of the Snorre field, which will increase to 18.6% later this year, when the company’s acquisition of ExxonMobil’s upstream business in Norway closes.

The Hywind Tampen investments will total almost NOK 5 billion. The wind farm will consist of 11 wind turbines based on the Hywind technology developed by Equinor. The 8 MW turbines will have a total capacity of 88 MW, capable of meeting about 35 percent of the annual power demand of the five Snorre A and B, Gullfaks A, B and C platforms.