Official opening of Gullfaks A
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The official opening of Gullfaks A took place on June 19, 1987. Production had originally been estimated to start around this time, but good progress had accelerated the timeline by half a year. The subsea wells had already started production on December 22, 1986. By the time of the official opening, the field was already producing 80,000 barrels of oil per day.
The event was marked by visits from key figures, including Minister of Petroleum and Energy Arne Øyen (Labour Party), Statoil’s CEO Arve Johnsen, Chairman of the Parliamentary Industry Committee Reidar Due (Centre Party), and Director of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate Fredrik Hagemann. Cultural performances featured violinist Arve Tellefsen and singer Sissel Kyrkjebø.[REMOVE]
Fotnote: Lerøen, B. V. (2006). 34/10 Olje på norsk – en historie om dristighet (s. 79). Statoil.
Foto ID: 5451f19b-4217-40c5-8328-79083f3d22a6
n his address, the Minister highlighted the uniqueness of Gullfaks as the first field developed with a Norwegian operator and entirely Norwegian ownership. The platform was built by Norwegian shipyards, and Norwegian was the working language. Through the tax regime and Statoil/SDFI ownership, the state had covered 95 percent of the development costs and could expect a significant revenue stream from the field.
The Minister of Petroleum and Energy was asked about the project’s profitability, given the sharp drop in oil prices. He did not appear particularly concerned. In June 1987, Gullfaks A was estimated to ramp up production to 245,000 barrels per day. Gas production had not yet started at that time, and the field’s production was expected to last for 30 years.
[REMOVE]Fotnote: Næsheim, E. (1987, 20. juni). Flagget til topps. Stavanger Aftenblad.The actual production, as well as the field’s lifespan, later turned out to be significantly higher than what Øyen had originally anticipated at the time.
