Green light for Vår Energi to spud North Sea exploration well

October 9, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Vår Energi, Norway’s oil and gas player, has obtained the Norwegian authorities’ blessing for drilling activities in the North Sea off the coast of Norway.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Vår Energi consent to spud the 25/8-C-23 D exploration well. This prospect, known as Prince Updip, will be drilled from the Ringhorne field.

The Ringhorne deposit, located nine kilometers north of the FPSO Balder, is included in the Balder complex. Developed with a combined accommodation, drilling, and wellhead facility, the field is tied back to the FPSOs Balder and Jotun for processing, crude oil storage, and gas export.

The Balder field is in the central part of the North Sea, just west of the Grane field. The water depth in the area is 125 meters. Following discovery in 1967, the field’s initial plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved in 1996.

Refurbished FPSO helps Vår Energi reach production milestone early

Exploration & Production

The production started in 1999. A revised PDO for Balder and Ringhorne was approved in June 2020. The development plan includes lifetime extension and relocation of the FPSO Jotun and drilling of new subsea wells.

Vår Energi made a final investment decision (FID) for the Balder Phase VI project a year after sanctioning the Balder Phase V project in the Balder area of the North Sea in the fourth quarter of 2024, targeting start-up in late 2025.