Storting approves Statfjord B and C

Norwegian Petroleum Museum

The debate in the Storting (parliament) on developing Statfjord and landing its production took place on 13-16 June 1976. In order to secure a decision which allowed Statfjord B orders to be placed, the Storting’s summer recess was delayed.

— installations at Statfjord with landings to Sotra - from Storting Report no. 90

Industry minister Bjartmar Gjerde pressured the Storting to deal with the matter. The proposal was to develop the field with three drilling and production platforms. Plans called for Statfjord B to be installed on the field in the summer of 1979, with the C installation following a year later.

The Socialist Left, the Centre Party and the Liberals wanted a slower pace of offshore production, and argued that a development solution based on two platforms would have been best.

Landing was the issue which attracted most discussion during the debate. Politicians seeking a slower tempo offshore also wanted oil and gas to be landed in Norway – but a smaller development would make such landing less economic.

The use of two loading buoys for oil when production started was approved, while a programme to study a possible oil pipeline to Sotra island outside Bergen would be conducted by the Statfjord licensees. This would concentrate particularly on laying and maintaining pipelines in deep water.

To learn more, see: The original plan

Sources
White Paper (Report to the Storting) no 90 (1975-76) On the development and landing of petroleum from the Statfjord field and on a gas-gathering pipeline.
VG, 16 June 1976. “Siste sak i Stortinget: Statfjord”.