Melkøya

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melkøya
Native name:
Muolkkut
Melkøya-2006.JPG
Melkøya is located in Troms og Finnmark
Melkøya
Melkøya
Location of the island
Geography
LocationTroms og Finnmark, Norway
Coordinates70°41′24″N 23°35′56″E / 70.6900°N 23.5990°E / 70.6900; 23.5990Coordinates: 70°41′24″N 23°35′56″E / 70.6900°N 23.5990°E / 70.6900; 23.5990
Area0.69 km2 (0.27 sq mi)
Length1.6 km (0.99 mi)
Width810 m (2660 ft)
Highest elevation71 m (233 ft)
Administration
Norway
CountyTroms og Finnmark
MunicipalityHammerfest Municipality

Melkøya (Northern Sami: Muolkkut) is an island in Hammerfest Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The 0.69-square-kilometre (170-acre) island is connected to the town of Hammerfest (on the neighboring island of Kvaløya to the west) by the which was completed in 2003.[1]

The industrial island is the endpoint of the undersea pipeline that transports natural gas from the Snøhvit natural gas fields in the Barents Sea. The gas goes through the 168-kilometre (104 mi) long pipeline to the processing plant on Melkøya where it is converted into liquefied natural gas. The plant opened in 2007 and it is operated by Equinor.[1] Liquefied natural gas is then exported from Melkøya to world markets by a LNG gas carrier or tanker.

History[]

The island was previously used for farming, and rental houses for seasonal fishermen were also built on the island.

In 2001 and 2002, major archaeological investigations on Melkøya were undertaken before Statoil's development of the island began. The development of the island has changed Melkøya completely. On 21 August 2007, the gas from the Snøhvit field began flowing to Melkøya.

The endangered[2] black-legged kittiwake adopted a man-made cliff at the facility for nesting, making it one of the largest kittiwake colonies in the world.[3]

Media gallery[]

  • Evening view of the island

  • View in winter

  • View of the Hammerfest area, including Melkøya

  • View of the storage tanks

  • LPG tanker waiting to load liquefied natural gas at Melkøya.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Store norske leksikon. "Melkøya" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2013-01-31.
  2. ^ Norsk rødliste for arter: Rissa tridactyla
  3. ^ Her er fuglefjellet til 50 milliarder kroner
Retrieved from ""