Equinor, as the operator (58.7% interest), with its partner, Orlen Upstream Norway (41.3% stake), started production from the Eirin field, which is now exporting gas to Europe via the Gina Krog and Sleipner A platforms in the North Sea. With expected recoverable resources of about 27.6 million barrels of oil equivalent, mainly gas, Eirin was proven as early as 1978, but was abandoned due to a lack of profitability.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Norwegian gas became more important; thus, the discovery was reassessed in 2023. Eirin has been developed as a subsea facility tied back to the Gina Krog platform. The gas is exported via Sleipner A, as the Sleipner area is perceived to be a key hub for Norwegian gas exports to Europe.

Linda Kåda Høiland, Senior Vice President for Late-life Fields in Equinor, newly appointed Vice President for Statfjord in Exploration & Production Norway, commented: “The partnership saw an opportunity to contribute to Europe’s energy security in a challenging time.

“We made an ambitious plan for a fast, cost-effective and safe development, which has now been realised. Eirin will extend production from the Gina Krog platform by seven years. This means gas to Europe and continued good value creation from the jobs associated with the platform.”

The operator underlines that total investments are estimated at NOK 4.5 billion ($463 million). This project will be able to extend Gina Krog’s economic life from 2029 to 2036. The Eirin development is said to have very good safety results and has made a lot of reuse of mature technology. Gina Krog was electrified in 2023, which means low CO2 emissions for the field as well, around 3 kg of CO2 per barrel produced (oil equivalents).

Høiland underlined: “The project has given us important learnings on how to develop marginal discoveries quickly and profitably. Such subsea developments will be important for maintaining production and value creation from the Norwegian shelf in the future.

“Early collaboration, efficient decision-making processes and standardized solutions have been crucial to realizing Eirin in a short time. From the establishment of the project to the start of production, we have only spent three years.”

Located about 250 kilometers west of Stavanger in about 120 meters of water, with a reservoir at a depth of about 4,000 meters, the Eirin project is said to have matured until Equinor’s investment decision in just 4.5 months, with three years separating the establishment of the project in January 2023 and the start-up of production.

Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of Orlen, underscored: “Gas production from the Norwegian Continental Shelf plays a vital role in enhancing the energy security of both Europe and Poland, which makes Orlen’s long‑term presence in Norway strategically important.

“Bringing the Eirin field onstream strengthens our position in the region and demonstrates our commitment and capability in executing investments that expand the hydrocarbon potential of the shelf. Gas from Eirin is already being delivered to Poland, further ensuring reliable supplies for Orlen’s customers despite the challenging international environment.”

At peak output, Eirin will deliver around 270 million cubic meters of gas per year to Orlen, whose interest in the field corresponds to 11.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas in net recoverable volumes.

Wiesław Prugar, Orlen’s Management Board Member for Upstream, outlined: “In the case of Eirin, leveraging existing infrastructure means not only reduced development costs and a faster time to first gas, but also additional production volumes. Based on the operator’s estimates, connecting Eirin will allow us to extend Gina Krog’s production life by seven years and increase its recovery rate.

“This will enable the production of an additional 9.7 million barrels of oil equivalent, corresponding to 4 million barrels net to Orlen. It is a strong example of our effective asset management aimed at maximizing the value of our portfolio.”

The Polish player claims that tying Eirin back to the Gina Krog platform ensures that production from the new field is powered primarily by renewable energy, as the platform is fully supplied with power from shore, where roughly 90% of electricity is generated by hydropower and a further 8% by wind.

The firm underscored: “After treatment to meet commercial specifications, the gas is sent to the Nybro entry point connecting the Norwegian and Danish transmission systems. From there, the gas is delivered to Poland via the Baltic Pipe.

“Orlen Upstream Norway and Equinor see further potential in the Gina Krog–Eirin area and plan further exploration activity in the coming years.”

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