Statfjord B comes on stream

Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Oil production from the Statfjord B platform began at 00.12 on 5 November 1982 – 26 days ahead of schedule. The storage cells began to fill just over an hour later. The flare was lit as a visible sign that output had started.

— Statfjord B on stream. Photo: Øyvind Hagen/Equinor

A total of 47 000 barrels were produced on the first day, and oil began to be transferred through a flowline from Statfjord A for storage in the B platform’s cells on 12 November.[REMOVE]Fotnote: Status 18, 1982.

The official inauguration of the platform occurred on 25 November in the presence of government, licensee and press representatives. Mike Smith, chief executive of Mobil Exploration Norway Inc gave a short speech – in Norwegian. He then pressed a button to start oil flowing to the first shuttle tanker, moored to the loading buoy 2.5 kilometres away.

A number of celebratory advertisements in the Norwegian press on 25-26 November also expressed congratulations to everyone involved in building the platform, both companies and individuals.

Associated gas began to be injected back into the reservoir via well B-34 on 11 December, and water injection started on 26 December.

To learn more, see: A giant mated