30 September 2022
Draugen, Standing Strong in the Norwegian Sea
Draugen is operated by OKEA ASA, in which Bangchak Group is a major shareholder
During the recent visit by the Thai Media and executives from Bangchak to Draugen, a petroleum field operated by OKEA ASA, a leading mid-to late-life operator on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), “Reflections” met Nicola Gordon, one of the people behind the success of Draugen while she was working with Shell. Nicola currently sits on the OKEA Board of Directors, along with several other board positions, among others as Chair of the audit committee at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and on Heriot-Watt University’s Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering's Strategy Advisory Board.
Nicola’s experience at Royal Dutch Shell Group includes vice president for Shell International, asset manager and board director at A/S Norske Shell, and managing director at Shell Denmark. She is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Energy Institute.
Nicola was full of energy while joining us on a helicopter ride from Kristiansund, some 150 kilometres away, to Draugen, situated in the Norwegian Sea and we took the opportunity to chat with her.
What is your relationship with Draugen?
I have had the privilege to work with the Draugen field at many stages of my career. As a young engineer in Stavanger in the 1980s, I contributed to the design of the exploration well test which confirmed the discovery. I worked on flowline design during the feasibility stage of the project. And in 2003, I returned to Norway as asset manager with responsibility for the Draugen field alongside the Brent field and onshore gas plants in the UK. Later, I joined the board of A/S Norske Shell, at that time an integrated Norwegian company both upstream, including Draugen, and downstream, part of the Shell group but with much in common with Bangchak. And then in 2020, I was delighted to be invited to serve on the board of OKEA.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Today, I am proud of my three grown-up children and a happy grandmother living in Scotland. Originally, I studied engineering at university in England and Scotland and joined Shell International. I worked in many other countries including New Zealand, Denmark, Netherlands and Gabon, for more than thirty years in total, latterly in senior leadership roles.
How does it feel to be back in this business as OKEA board?
It feels good to be a part of the continuing future of Draugen. I find it a very interesting new experience to be working with Chaiwat (Chaiwat Kovavisarach, Bangchak Group CEO and OKEA Chairman) and the team from Thailand and the other investors. I enjoy the pride felt by Norwegians and Thais alike in this co-operation.
And specifically, how does it feel to be back at Draugen?
One of the best parts of my career has always been the people I have been lucky enough to work with. It is excellent to meet former colleagues again and to see individuals I knew earlier on now progressing and taking up more responsible positions. And everyone associated with Draugen feels the special sense of pride.
Highlights of Draugen in your view?
The Draugen platform is uniquely designed to produce an outstanding field. At the time, Draugen achieved so many technical firsts, with the innovative use of concrete in the deep water, northerly location and demanding weather conditions.
Some thirty years on, Draugen is an exceptionally well-maintained and successful platform. This is due in no small part to the talented and dedicated people involved, all the different teams over the years. Now, Draugen is poised to play a role in the energy transition.
‘Draugen’
is a platform uniquely designed to produce an outstanding field.At the time, Draugen achieved so many technical “firsts”, with the innovative use of concrete in the deep water, northerly location and demanding weather conditions.
Some 30 years on,
‘Draugen’ Draugen still stands strong as an exceptionally well-maintained and successful platform.
Any last thoughts you would like to add?
Thank you for coming all the long way from Bangkok to Kristiansund and Draugen to see for yourself. Some things you need to experience.
Get to know OKEA and the Draugen Field
Bangchak Group is a major investor in OKEA ASA, via BCPR, strengthening energy security, of which petroleum exploration and production is a critical strategic component. OKEA is the flagship in achieving this mission and a major pillar of Bangchak Group.
OKEA is a leading mid-to-late-life operator on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The company has an ambitious strategy built on growth, value creation, and capital discipline to extend the life of valuable natural resources, committed to minimise the carbon footprint from production to the greatest extent possible. In 2021, the company established an updated decarbonisation strategy of operated assets in production to support GHGs emissions reduction target of 50% by 2030 set by the industry in Norway.
OKEA has four fields in Norway Draugen (44.56% stake), Gjoa (12% stake), Yme (15% stake), and Ivar Aasen (2.77% stake), together accounting for, in the part of OKEA, about 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily.
The Draugen platform is unique for the monopod design that distinguishes it from other platforms, featuring a reinforced concrete shaft with integrated topside decks rising 270 metres from the seabed for strength and stability. It was installed in 1993 in a Shell field previously evaluated to cease production by 2027. However, initial production yielded up to 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily. OKEA ASA, which assumed operatorship in 2018 brought with it a highly skilled team and technology greatly improved the platform’s performance, enabling production to be extended beyond 2035. Moreover, the company is exploring new opportunities that will further extend the production of the field (most recently targeting production up to 2040).
