Equinor Wins Approval to Launch Verdande at Norne Field

Norway’s state-owned energy company Equinor has secured consent from the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) to move forward with its Verdande development at the Norne field in the Norwegian Sea. The approval covers the start-up and use of Verdande, which will be tied back to the FPSO Norne, located about 80 kilometers north of the Heidrun field.

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Discovered in 1992, Norne was developed after approval of its plan for development and operation (PDO) in 1995. The field came online in 1997 via an FPSO connected to seven subsea templates. Equinor received clearance for Verdande at the end of 2022 and has since been preparing the tieback to Norne.

Drilling at Verdande began in 2023, using Transocean’s Encourage rig under a nine-well contract. The field is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2025. Initial investment for the project was estimated at around NOK 5 billion (approximately $448 million).

Verdande brings together the Cape Vulture and Alve North-East discoveries, proven in 2017 and 2020. The development lies about 300 kilometers southwest of Bodø. Oil from the project will be lifted by shuttle tanker, while associated gas will flow via the Åsgard Transport system to the Kårstø processing plant.

The project’s recoverable resources are estimated at 36 million barrels of oil equivalent. Equinor highlights Verdande’s low emissions profile, with a CO? intensity of 1.6 kg per barrel of oil equivalent, well below industry averages.

Equinor operates Verdande with a 59.3% stake, alongside partners Petoro (22.4%), Vår Energi (10.5%), Aker BP (7%), and PGNiG Upstream Norway (0.8%).

The development is part of Equinor’s broader strategy to extend the life of the Norne FPSO and reinforce Norway’s offshore production base. It follows other recent milestones, including the start-up of a subsea field in the Barents Sea, with gas output routed to the Melkøya LNG plant for processing.

With Verdande, Equinor aims to strengthen its oil and gas portfolio, as it continues to expand both oil and gas production, both of which exceeded expectations in August 2025.

Read this article on OilPrice.com

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