Equinor has awarded oil and gas service company, Aibel, a front-end engineering and design contract (FEED) for modification of the Hammerfest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in connection with the Snøhvit Future project, according to a press release.

The FEED contract is valued at $15.7 million and will contribute with about 80 man-years for Aibel. The FEED work will cover two sub-projects under the Snøhvit Future development: onshore compression and Hammerfest LNG electrification.

The first sub-project involves the construction of an onshore compression station at the Hammerfest LNG plant. As the pressure in the wells on the Snøhvit field decreases, there will be a need for pressure support to maintain plateau production at the plant. 

The second sub-project is related to replacing current gas turbines with power from shore with electric turbines.

Peggy Krantz-Underland, Equinor chief procurement officer, said, “Snøhvit Future is a complex project that will require large modification work at the Hammerfest LNG plant. By awarding the FEED contract to Aibel we enable continuity and experience transfer. Aibel knows the plant well, having provided maintenance and modification services there since the production started in 2007.”

Equinor and partners are working towards two final investment decisions (FIDs) for the sub-projects in the second half of 2021.