Ormen Lange

The Ormen Lange field is situated in the Norwegian Ocean, 120 kilometres west of the More coast. Discovered in 1997, it represents Norway's second largest gas field. The gas is brought from the reservoir 3000 metres below sea level to the land treatment plant at Aukra, from where it is transported through the world's longest sub-sea pipeline to England, where it for years will cover a fifth of the total British gas need. The development represented huge technological and organisational challenges on various levels, and the complexity can easily be compared to a moon landing. Innovation and creative art of engineering made the development possible. During the development modern technology crossed the world of the past and maritime history. In 2003 a group of marine archaeologists discovered several shipwrecks, of which a historical boat lying on the seafloor very close to the planned pipleine route from the Ormen Lange field to the land industrial plant. Could a shipwreck stop the largest industrial development in Norway, or would Norwegian marine archaeologists prove to have the creativity and skills to provide innovative technology to solve the problem? This book tells the story of the Ormen Lange development, and how skills, creativity and excellent co-operation on several levels made this not only a unique industrial project but also a unique marine archaeological project.