Equinor Doubles Estimate for Major North Sea Gas Discovery
The Afrodite gas discovery in the Norwegian North Sea may contain twice the volumes initially thought, operator Equinor said on Thursday after drilling a new appraisal well. Afrodite, discovered in 2008, is near the Kvitebjørn gas and condensate field and also close to the Gullfaks field in the North Sea, which is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from Kvitebjørn. Equinor considers the Afrodite…
Equinor has doubled its estimate for a major gas discovery in the Norwegian North Sea, following drilling of a new appraisal well. The Afrodite gas discovery, found in 2008 near the Kvitebjørn and Gullfaks fields, may contain up to 180 million barrels of gas and condensate equivalent, according to the Norwegian oil major. Previously, estimates had placed recoverable volumes between 77 and 180 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Equinor's executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway, Kjetil Hove, praised the large gas volumes found in a mature area of the North Sea, stating the discovery exceeded expectations. The company plans to continue working to tie Afrodite to the Kvitebjørn platform, potentially allowing the gas to be transported via existing infrastructure to the Kollsnes processing plant in Øygarden and then on to the European market.
Equinor aims to maintain current production levels at least through 2035, drilling 20 to 30 exploration wells annually, and Norway seeks to continue high oil and gas production and exports for at least another decade to support the economy and supply oil and gas to Europe.
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