The Norwegian offshore oil and gas giant, StatoilHydro, has never drilled before a well as difficult as the Gulltopp well on the Gullfaks field
The Norwegian offshore oil and gas giant, StatoilHydro, has never drilled before a well as difficult as the Gulltopp well on the Gullfaks field.
The most complicated well in StatoilHydro's history has been successfully completed on the Gullfaks A platform in the North Sea, and hydrocarbons are flowing up through the well at 9910 metres. This is thus the longest producing well in the world drilled from an offshore platform.
The experience gained by StatoilHydro is very valuable to the further development of both remote prospects at Gullfaks and on other fields in the company's portfolio.
The drilling of Gulltopp has been a very demanding job that requires a go-ahead spirit, as well as innovation and perseverance.
The 10-kilometre drill pipe was controlled from the drilling rig at the sea surface. It was run 150 metres down to the seabed, and then kilometre after kilometre through various types of rock strata.
The record-long Gulltopp well is a result of the distance from the nearest platform. It is 10 kilometres from Gullfaks to the oil discovery.
