Equinor Strengthens European Energy Security with New Halten East Gas Exports

Equinor Strengthens European Energy Security with New Halten East Gas Exports

(IN BRIEF) Equinor has announced that natural gas from its Halten East field will be exported to Europe, a move that significantly strengthens the region’s energy security. The press release details how years of investment and technological advancements have enabled the Halten East field to become a major source of high-quality, environmentally compliant natural gas. Emphasizing the integration of advanced offshore production techniques and digital solutions, Equinor highlighted its commitment to optimizing efficiency while reducing environmental impacts. In a press briefing, company leaders underscored the importance of this development for supporting Europe’s economic recovery and energy transition. The initiative not only enhances the reliability of the regional energy supply but also demonstrates Equinor’s dedication to innovation, operational excellence, and responsible energy production, promising long-term benefits for consumers and stakeholders alike.

(PRESS RELEASE) STAVANGER, 17-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Equinor has officially commenced production at the Halten East development in the Norwegian Sea, marking a significant milestone achieved two years after receiving approval from Norwegian authorities. “We are starting up Halten East at a time where piped gas from Norway is in high demand and critical for energy security. In a challenging cost and inflation environment, the project has been delivered both on time and within our cost estimate,” said Geir Tungesvik, Executive Vice President for Projects, Drilling, and Procurement at Equinor. Notably, the project’s estimated pay-back period is just one year.

Halten East is a tie-in development located in the Kristin-Åsgard area, leveraging existing infrastructure and processing capacity at Åsgard B. The development comprises six gas discoveries, with the flexibility to pursue three additional prospects, and is in partnership with Vår Energi and Petoro. The Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) received approval in February 2023, and gas from the first well, Gamma, has now been successfully brought on stream as scheduled. The initial phase features six wells across five discoveries, while a second phase is slated for 2029, which will include a sidetrack and three potential additional wells. The total investment for both phases is estimated at approximately NOK 9 billion.

The reservoirs at Halten East hold both gas and condensate, with recoverable reserves estimated at around 100 million barrels of oil equivalent. The produced gas will be routed to Kårstø via Åsgard B, from where it will be exported to Europe through an established pipeline network.

Kjetil Hove, Executive Vice President for Development and Production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, highlighted the project’s broader significance: “Halten East demonstrates the importance of area solutions and cooperation between licence owners and authorities to realise the full resource potential on the Norwegian continental shelf. Together, we can develop industrial solutions that deliver energy at low cost and with minimal emissions. We have an extensive portfolio of projects connecting discoveries to our producing hubs, and Equinor expects to put over 30 such projects on stream at the NCS by 2035.”

Approximately 90% of the investments in Halten East have been directed to Norwegian suppliers, and the development phase is anticipated to generate around 3,000 person-years of employment annually from 2022 to 2029. In November 2024, Equinor further increased its stake by acquiring Sval Energi’s 11.8% share in the Halten East Unit, raising its ownership to 69.5%. The partnership structure now includes Equinor Energy AS (69.5%, operator), Vår Energi ASA (24.6%), and Petoro AS (5.9%).

Key contracts for the project include drilling services from Transocean Spitsbergen; topside, SPS EPC and umbilical EPC from Aker Solutions/OneSubsea; pipelay and marine installations from Technip Norge; and flow assurance, leak detection, and UTIS from TFMC. With development planned in two phases (2025 and 2029), the six discoveries—Natalia, Sigrid, Nona, Flyndretind, Gamma, and Harepus—are connected to Åsgard B via five subsea templates, and the project is expected to maintain a CO₂ intensity of just 3 kg per barrel of oil equivalent.

Contracts

• Transocean Spitsbergen – Drilling contract
• Aker Solutions/OneSubsea – Topside, SPS EPC and umbilical EPC
• Technip Norge – Pipelay and marine installations
• TFMC – Flow assurance simulator, leak detection system, and UTIS

Facts

• Halten East will be developed in two phases, planned for 2025 and 2029.
• The six discoveries of Halten East: Natalia, Sigrid, Nona, Flyndretind, Gamma and Harepus.
• The gas from Halten East will be sent to Åsgard B via five subsea templates.
• CO2 intensity of Halten East is expected to be 3 kg per barrel of oil equivalent.

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SOURCE: Equinor