Equinor has started gas production from the Halten Øst development in the Norwegian Sea, just two years after approval from Norwegian authorities.
'We are starting up Halten Øst at a time when gas from Norway is in high demand and important for European energy security. In a challenging cost and inflation environment, the project has been delivered both on time and within our cost estimates,' says Geir Tungesvik, Executive Vice President, Projects, Drilling and Procurement at Equinor. The estimated payback period for the field is one year.
Halten Øst is a tie-in field in the Kristin-Åsgard area in the Norwegian Sea. Vår Energi and Petoro are partners. The development includes six gas discoveries and three prospects that utilize existing infrastructure and processing capacity at Åsgard B.
The Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) was approved by the authorities in February 2023. Now gas from the first well Gamma is in production two years later. The first phase consists of six wells from five discoveries. The second phase is planned for 2029. It will include a side-step and three additional potential wells. The total investment is around NOK 9 billion for both phases.
The Halten Øst field contains gas and condensate. The recoverable reserves from the discoveries are estimated to be around 100 million barrels of oil equivalent. The gas will be sent to Kårstø from Åsgard B, from where it will be exported by pipeline to Europe.
'Halten Øst shows the importance of area solutions and cooperation between licensees and authorities to realize the resource potential on the Norwegian shelf. Together we can develop industrial solutions that will continue to deliver energy at low costs and low emissions. We have a large portfolio of projects that will link discoveries to our producing fields on the shelf. Equinor expects to put over 30 such projects into production by 2035', says Kjetil Hove, Executive Vice President for Development and Production on the Norwegian Shelf.
Around 90% of Halten Øst investments have gone to suppliers in Norway. The development phase of Halten Øst is estimated to provide around 3,000 man-years per year from 2022 to 2029.
In November 2024, Equinor acquired Sval Energi's 11.8% stake in the Halten Øst unit, increasing its ownership to 69.5%.
Partners: Equinor (69.5%, operator), Vår Energi (24.6%), Petoro (5.9%).
Background
- Halten Øst will be developed in two phases, planned for 2025 and 2029.
- The six discoveries of Halten Øst: Natalia, Sigrid, Nona, Flyndretind, Gamma and Harepus.
- The gas from Halten Øst will be sent to Åsgard B via five subsea templates.
- The CO2 intensity of Halten Øst is expected to be 3 kg per barrel of oil equivalent.
Source: Equinor
