Equinor gets the all-clear to deploy export solution for North Sea gas

October 7, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has received the Norwegian authorities’ blessing for a new gas export solution, which will create an alternative path for gas exports from a platform in the North Sea to bolster Norway’s energy security.

Troll B platform; Credit: Øyvind Hagen/Equinor

According to the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil), Equinor has received consent to use its gas export solution from the Troll B platform to the Kvitebjørn gas pipeline. This comes shortly after the Norwegian Offshore Directorate gave the green light for the start-up of a tie-in from the platform to the Kvitebjørn gas export line.

The Kvitebjørn field is in the Tampen area in the northern part of the North Sea, 15 kilometers southeast of the Gullfaks field, in a water depth of 190 meters. Discovered in 1994, the field came online in 2004, after its plan for development and operations (PDO) was approved in 2000 to develop it with an integrated accommodation, drilling, and processing facility with a steel jacket.

The new export solution is designed to curb the decline in gas production by facilitating increased export from the North Sea platform, as gas injection is no longer needed. Located in the northern part of the North Sea, in a water depth of 300-330 meters, the Troll field was discovered in 1979.

After the initial plan for development and operation was approved in 1986 and updated in 1990, production started in 1995. As phased development was pursued for the Troll field, Phase I focused on recovering gas reserves in Troll Øst and Phase II on the oil reserves in Troll Vest.

While Troll Phase I is developed with the Troll A fixed wellhead and compression platform with a concrete substructure, Troll Phase II uses the Troll B floating concrete accommodation and production facility and the Troll C semi-submersible accommodation and production steel facility. Troll Phase III began gas production from Troll Vest in 2021.

The investments to establish the new gas export solution are expected to total around NOK 1.16 billion (around $115.5 million). With the expected start date in the fourth quarter of 2025, this gas export solution is set to allow additional flexibility, allowing gas to be exported via both the Troll A and Kvitebjørn gas pipelines.

Recently, Equinor brought online the next phase of its subsea compression project in the Norwegian Sea, which enables it to increase the gas recovery at its asset offshore Norway.