Christening of the little one

Julia Stangeland

Monday the 29th of June 1987, Gullfaks B was christened—the middle and smallest of the three platforms on the Gullfaks field.

— Even though it was larger than most newborns, Gullfaks B was still the smallest of the Gullfaks platforms. Pictured here in Vats, days before the christening. Photo: Øyvind Hagen/Equinor

Around 30 people watched as godmother Eva Eriksen smashed a bottle of champagne and christened Gullfaks B on the 29th of June 1987. Since joining Statoil in 1973, she had held various roles in the company. In 1987, she could add “godmother of Gullfaks B” to her résumé.[REMOVE]

Fotnote:Morgenbladet, «Gullfaks B-dåp,» 30 June 1987, 5.

When Haugesunds Avis wrote about Gullfaks B, they called it “the little one” on the field. Measuring 209 meters from base to tip of the flare boom, it was no lightweight.[REMOVE]Fotnote: Teknisk Ukeblad, «Dette er oljearbeidernes favorittplattformer,» Accessed 27 Janurary 2025 https://www.tu.no/artikler/dette-er-oljearbeidernes-favorittplattformer/225326.

Statoil veteran Eva Eriksen was the godmother of Gullfaks B. Here with Statoil’s Director in Bergen, Jakob Bleie. Photo: Arild Hinna/Equinor

Alongside Gullfaks A—which was already in production by 1987—and Gullfaks C, which came online in December 1989, Gullfaks B was nevertheless the smallest.

It was the smallest because, unlike Gullfaks A and C, it had no processing facilities of its own. Nor did it have its own gas generators; power was supplied from Gullfaks A. It also lacked storage tanks, sending oil either to Gullfaks A or Gullfaks C.

After the ceremony, Eriksen, host and Statoil’s Director in Bergen, Jakob Bleie, and the other guests had lunch. Among the lunch guests were the 160 employees working onboard the platform. Also invited were 450 Moss Rosenberg workers finishing the final installation work.

According to Haugesunds Avis, the departure from Vats to the field was scheduled for the 1st of August 1987.[REMOVE]Fotnote:Haugesunds Avis, «Gullfaks B døpt i Vats,» 30 June 1987, 7.