Equinor is hoping its Rosebank project can trigger wider electrification West of Shetland.
The Norwegian oil giant is heading towards a key final investment decision early next year on the development, which includes finding a way to drastically cut emissions.
Al Cook, executive vice president for exploration and production international, told Energy Voice the firm is in "very active discussions" with other operators around Shetland about a "broader development of electrification" in the region.
"There's two parts to it: The first is what's best for Rosebank - and we are openly ambitious about electrifying Rosebank as soon as we can. But we also ask: What would trigger electrification of West of Shetland? What can we do for the region? How can Rosebank be a trigger, not just to electrify itself, but to electrify other fields West of Shetland?"
Unlike Norway, which has electrified oil and gas assets since the 1990s, the UK is yet to power any of its offshore installations with renewable electricity.
But Energy Voice says that, to meet key emissions targets by 2030, operators wishing to continue production - or indeed bring new fields online - will be forced to deliver green power to offshore assets.
Part of the barrier is the cost, and operators have been searching for ways to share it.
Plentiful opportunities
The opportunities are plentiful in the West of Shetland. Alongside Rosebank, there's the impending Cambo oil development with an "electrification-ready" production vessel, as well as the huge BP Clair field.
Mr Cook said that, in Norway, any new fields brought online have the expectation of electrification.
"We would like to bring that technology across to the UK as soon as we can."
Rosebank, first discovered in 2004, will be hooked up to the Knarr floating production, storage and offloading vessel. A deal to use the ship has already been struck with owner Altera Infrastructure.
The Equinor-operated development will provide significant investment into the UK.
According to a recent study by Wood Mackenzie and Voar Energy, Rosebank is estimated to create £8.1billion of direct investment, of which £6.3billion is likely to be invested in UK-based businesses.
The report also estimates that a further £16billion could be generated through indirect and induced economic impacts over the field life resulting in a total gross value add of £24.1billion.
UK production
Rosebank will have a significant impact on the UK production outlook.
From first output in 2026 through to 2030, the field could account for 8% of the UK's oil production. Rosebank, which will be tied to the UK gas infrastructure, is projected to provide enough gas to power Aberdeen.