Equinor and Partners Achieve Early Success with Breidablikk Field Production in North Sea

The Grane platform receives the well stream from Breidablikk. (Photo: Elisabeth Sahl – Jonny Engelsvoll / Equinor)

(IN BRIEF) Equinor, along with partners Petoro, Vår Energi, and ConocoPhillips, has started production at the Breidablikk field in the North Sea, four months ahead of schedule and within budget. The subsea field, tied to the Grane platform, contains nearly 200 million barrels of recoverable oil. Eight wells have already been drilled, with more planned through 2025. The project has had significant economic impact in Norway, with over 90% of contracts going to local suppliers. Investments in the project exceed NOK 21 billion, and the oil will be processed at the Grane platform and sent to the Sture terminal. The field will be operated alongside the Grane field by Equinor in Bergen. Breidablikk is expected to reach plateau production of 55,000 to 60,000 barrels per day between 2024 and 2026.

(PRESS RELEASE) STAVANGER, 20-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ —  Equinor ASA (OSE:EQNR, NYSE:EQNR), an oil, gas, wind and solar energy company active in more than 30 markets globally, in partnership with Petoro, Vår Energi, and ConocoPhillips, is proud to announce the early commencement of production from the Breidablikk field in the North Sea, setting a new industry standard for efficiency and precision. Production began on October 20, a remarkable four months ahead of schedule and well within budget expectations.

“Breidablikk will come on stream four months ahead of schedule, within budget, and with higher initial production than expected. The project is highly profitable, provides important volumes to the market, and will create great value for Norwegian society and the owners. Nearly five million working hours have gone into the project. I am proud of the project delivery, and would like to thank everyone involved,” says Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s executive vice president for Projects, Drilling & Procurement.

Originally planned for production startup in the first half of 2024 when the plan for development and operation (PDO) was submitted in September 2020, the Breidablikk field now boasts eight drilled wells, with additional drilling activities scheduled to continue until the end of 2025. This ambitious timeline has been made possible through effective collaboration and advanced drilling technologies.

Breidablikk’s development comprises 22 subsea wells drilled from four templates, connected by pipelines and cables to the Grane platform, which has undergone modifications to accommodate the well stream. This innovative approach has proven to be highly successful, emphasizing Equinor’s commitment to sustainable oil recovery.

The Breidablikk project has made a significant impact on Norway’s economy, with over 90 percent of the contract value awarded to suppliers with Norwegian billing addresses. Key suppliers include Odfjell Drilling in Bergen, Aker Solutions with substantial deliveries from Egersund, Wood Group in Sandefjord, and TechnipFMC from their spoolbase in Orkanger.

The total investments in the Breidablikk project are estimated to be just over NOK 21 billion in 2023 value. This substantial investment reflects the project’s importance and its positive influence on the local economy.

Breidablikk can help to extend the productive life and the approximately 1000 jobs associated with the operation of the Grane field towards 2060. By utilising existing infrastructure both offshore and onshore, this is a cost-effective development. At peak, Breidablikk is expected to send up to 55-60,000 barrels of oil to the market daily, mainly to Europe,” says Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration and Production Norway.

Oil extracted from the Breidablikk field will be processed on the Grane platform and transported via pipelines to the Sture terminal in Øygarden. This additional source of oil will account for approximately 15 percent of Sture’s export volume in the coming years. The Equinor organization at Sandsli in Bergen will operate the new field in close collaboration with the existing Grane field.

Key Facts about Breidablikk:

• Partnership: Equinor Energy AS 39% (operator), Vår Energi ASA 34.4%, Petoro 22.2%, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS 4.4%
• Discovered in 1992, Breidablikk is situated in the central part of the North Sea, approximately ten kilometers northeast of Grane, in waters 130 meters deep.
• Breidablikk is projected to reach plateau production between 2024 and 2026, with an estimated daily production rate of 55,000 to 60,000 barrels.

Equinor and its partners are excited about the early success of the Breidablikk field and look forward to the positive contributions it will make to the energy sector and the local community.

Media contact:

Sissel Rinde
Vice president Media relations
Corporate affairs
sisr@equinor.com
+47 412 60 584

SOURCE: Equinor ASA