MON (11.11.2021) 18

Price tag for the electrification of Njord and Draugen: NOK 5.1 billion

The total cost of connecting Njord and Draugen to the mainland power grid is estimated to be NOK 5.1 billion.  This was shown in Okea’s own estimate, according to the project’s environmental impact assessment. 

Norway: This article is a translation of the Norwegian original. Please find the original article here.

The total cost of connecting Njord and Draugen to the mainland power grid is estimated to be NOK 5.1 billion.  

This was shown in Okea’s own estimate, according to the project’s environmental impact assessment.  

The costs were specified as follows: 

Shore facility: NOK 400 million 

Cable including the work of laying it from shore to Draugen: NOK 1.4 billion 

Draugen topside: NOK 2.2 billion 

Cable including the work of laying it from Draugen to Njord: NOK 600 million 

Njord topside: NOK 500 million 

NOK 1,340 per tonne of CO2 

For Draugen and Njord together, emission savings during the 2025–2035 period are estimated to be around 3.8 million tonnes of CO2 and 19,000 tonnes of NOx. This will result in an additional cost per tonne of around NOK 1,340. 

“According to the current assumptions, power from shore to Draugen and Njord will form the basis of economically profitable production on the facilities until at least 2035, and we can see a power need perspective until 2040 and perhaps longer,” Okea writes.  

The purpose of the project is to replace the current turbine operation with electric power from shore, and provide a stable, long-term and environmentally-friendly power supply to the platforms.  

According to the developers’ own calculations, a transition to shore-based electricity will reduce annual emissions from gas turbines by approximately 200,000 tonnes of CO2 and 1,200 tonnes of NOx for Draugen, and around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 and 500–600 tonnes of NOx for Njord. 

The connection point to the mainland grid is planned to be located in Straum transformer station in Åfjord municipality in Trøndelag. The submarine cable out to Draugen will be around 135 kilometres long. The submarine cable on to Njord will be around 30 kilometres long.  

A total of 80 MW is planned to be drawn from the connection point, according to the document.  

Keeping the turbines as backup 

The plan is to fully electrify Draugen, while Njord will be partially electrified, keeping gas turbines in operation in order to operate gas compressors directly. Both platforms will retain turbines for main onboard power, as a backup in case the power supply from shore fails.  

The project is working towards the startup of power from shore to Draugen and Njord in 2025.