Toll A platform being topped off, 1995.
Toll A under tow in 1996; headed to sea.
Troll A platform, and two other platforms, Troll B & C, in the Troll Gas Field provide 40% of all of Norway's natural gas export capacity.
Troll Gas Field was discovered in 1979; first production occurred in 1996. It originally contained 50.6 TCF of recoverable gas and 1.74 GBO of recoverable oil.
West Troll Field, including underlying oil columns on the extreme west flank, is seen here. Troll A processing and compression platform in the larger, East Troll Field is in the direction of red arrows. Please note sub-sea well head locations and production manifolds on the sea floor.
The Troll A platform has an overall height of 472 metres (1,549 ft), weighs 683,600 tons (1.2 million tons with ballast) and has the distinction of being the tallest and heaviest structure ever moved by mankind.
Inside one of Troll A's reinforced, cylindrical concrete "legs," looking up toward the surface.
Troll A Platform in a "calm" North Sea
In 2006, the 10th anniversary of Statoil's operatorship of Troll gas production was celebrated with a concert by Katie Melua held at the base of one of the hollow legs of the platform. She entertained workers on the rig and the event set a new world record for the deepest underwater concert at 303 metres (900 feet) below sea level.
The development of Troll Gas Field was an engineering marvel. The development of the entire North Sea was the sort of "technology" that helped make the world a better place with cheap, plentiful hydrocarbons.
The worldwide oil and gas industry has a rich history of amazing accomplishments. We should look back and celebrate them.
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