BALDER FUTURE - A new chapter for Norway's first oil field
The Balder Future project represents one of the largest brownfield offshore developments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in recent years. By combining new subsea infrastructure with the refurbishment and redeployment of the Jotun FPSO (floating production storage unit), the project has extended the life of the historic Balder area for decades to come. Ocean Installer played a central role in delivering the SURF (subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines) infrastructure and offshore execution required to transform an ambitious vision into a producing reality.
Project overview
Ocean Installer, in consortium with Baker Hughes, was awarded an EPCI (engineering, procurement, construction and installation) scope by Vår Energi for the Balder Future development in the North Sea. The project commenced in 2019 and culminated with the successful tow-out, hook-up and start-up of the Jotun FPSO in 2025.
The scope included engineering, procurement, fabrication support and offshore installation of the subsea production infrastructure forming the backbone of the expanded Balder field development. Activities included fabrication and installation of flexible flowlines, risers, umbilicals, subsea structures and associated offshore hook-up operations before final connection to the redeployed FPSO.
Delivered through close collaboration between Vår Energi, Ocean Installer, Baker Hughes and an extensive supply chain, Balder Future is a cornerstone project in the continued development of the Greater Balder Area.
Challenges
Balder Future combined several technically demanding elements into a single integrated development.
The project involved installation of significant subsea infrastructure while simultaneously preparing for one of the largest FPSO redeployment and hook-up campaigns executed on the NCS (Norwegian continental shelf) in recent years. Multiple offshore campaigns spanning several years required careful planning, vessel optimisation and coordination across disciplines and contractors.
The final tow-out and hook-up campaign also presented weather sensitivity challenges. Traditional mooring installation methods required repetitive operations and offshore intervention activities that could be impacted by environmental conditions, potentially affecting schedule certainty and operational efficiency.
Additionally, the project demanded seamless integration of engineering, fabrication, marine operations and offshore installation activities while maintaining the highest standards of safety and execution quality throughout the project lifecycle.
Solution
Ocean Installer applied an integrated EPCI delivery model supported by early engineering involvement, close supplier collaboration and detailed offshore execution planning.
Over multiple installation campaigns, the project team optimised vessel utilisation and installation methodologies to safely execute complex offshore operations while managing interfaces across numerous stakeholders.
During the FPSO tow-out and hook-up campaign, innovative use of In-Line Tensioners (ILTs) enabled offshore tensioning of mooring lines by anchor handling vessels. This reduced weather sensitivity, eliminated the need for weather sensitive offshore turret diving operations and improved overall installation efficiency.
The project also benefitted from strong knowledge transfer between engineering and offshore teams, ensuring lessons learned from earlier campaign phases were continuously incorporated into later execution activities.
Highlights
• More than five years of project execution from award to final offshore completion.
• Installation of approximately 96 km of flexible flowlines and risers.
• Installation of approximately 29 km of umbilicals.
• Installation of five subsea templates.
• Successful tow-out, mooring hook-up and commissioning support for the Jotun FPSO.
• One of the most significant subsea developments executed in the North Sea in recent years.
• Delivered through a large multidisciplinary team spanning engineering, project management, procurement and offshore operations.
Results
Balder Future has enabled a new era for the Balder area and supports continued production well into the future.
The redeployed Jotun FPSO, together with the installed subsea infrastructure, provides the foundation for continued field development and future tie-back opportunities within the Greater Balder Area. The project supports recovery of significant hydrocarbon resources while maximising value from existing offshore infrastructure.
For Ocean Installer, the project further strengthened the long-term relationship with Vår Energi and demonstrated the value of integrated SURF delivery, complex marine operations and collaborative project execution. This collaboration has subsequently led to additional developments within the Balder Area.
Lessons learned
Balder Future reinforced the benefits of early contractor involvement, integrated project teams and maintaining continuity through long-duration developments.
The project demonstrated how lessons learned from earlier offshore campaigns can be systematically applied to improve safety, efficiency and execution certainty in later phases. It also highlighted the value of innovative installation methodologies in reducing operational risk and weather dependency.
The experience gained through Balder Future continues to be applied across Ocean Installer's portfolio of subsea tie-backs and field developments, particularly in delivering efficient brownfield and infrastructure-led developments on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
