Fresh gas and condensate discovery makes its presence known in North Sea

January 20, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Norway’s state-owned energy giant Equinor has unearthed a new gas and condensate discovery in the North Sea off the coast of Norway, using one of Odfjell Drilling’s semi-submersible rigs.

Deepsea Atlantic semi-submersible rig; Credit: Odfjell Drilling

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has revealed that Equinor and its partner, Orlen, have discovered gas and condensate in the Sissel prospect in production license 1137, which was awarded in 2022, as part of the awards in pre-defined areas 2021.

The 15/8-3 S well is the first exploration well drilled in this license, about 5 kilometers southeast of the Utgard field in the North Sea and 250 kilometers southwest of Stavanger. The drilling operations were conducted by the Deepsea Atlantic rig.

While the well’s primary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks in the upper part of the Hugin Formation (Vestland Group), the secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks in the lower part of the Hugin Formation (Vestland Group).

The well 15/8‑3 S encountered condensate-rich gas in sandstone layers in the upper part of the Hugin Formation, with an overall thickness of 148 meters, 57 meters of which consist of sandstone layers with moderate to good reservoir quality.

The wildcat well proved a hydrocarbon column of about 95 meters, but the gas/water contact was not encountered. The secondary exploration target in the lower part of the Hugin Formation was aquiferous with poor reservoir quality and a thickness of 53 meters.

Even though the well was not formation-tested, extensive volumes of data and samples were collected. The well 15/8-3 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 4,282 meters below sea level, a measured depth of 4,359 meters, and was terminated in the Rattray Formation in the Middle Jurassic.

The water depth at the site is 110 meters, and the well has been permanently plugged and abandoned. The preliminary calculation of the size of the discovery is 1 – 4.5 million standard cubic meters of recoverable oil equivalent, corresponding to 6.3 – 28.3 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.

Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Orlen Management Board, commented: “The Sissel discovery, from which we expect to obtain approximately 1 billion cubic meters of gas, strengthens our asset portfolio in Norway and represents another step toward achieving the Orlen Group’s strategic objectives. Norwegian gas plays a crucial role in ensuring stable supplies for our customers.

“This was clearly demonstrated earlier this year, when we recorded record‑high demand from the energy sector, businesses, and households—reaching as much as 100 million cubic meters in a single day. In response, we increased gas imports, including via the Baltic Pipe, which transports gas from the Norwegian Continental Shelf to Poland.”

Moving forward, the licensees will consider the opportunities to develop the discovery as a tie-back to existing infrastructure in the area, according to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. The Sissel discovery could be developed as a tie-back to the Utgard field, located five kilometers to the north.

The field was developed as a tie-back to the Sleipner complex, which includes the Sleipner Øst, Sleipner Vest, Gungne, and Gina Krog fields. Later this year, Orlen Upstream Norway plans to launch Eirin, another field in this area, which will be developed using Gina Krog and Sleipner infrastructure.

The latest gas and condensate find comes shortly after Equinor made an oil discovery in the Norwegian Sea with COSL Drilling Europe’s semi-submersible rig.