Norway will reopen three long-shuttered gas fields in the North Sea, with production set to resume in 2028, in a move aimed at strengthening Europe’s fragile energy supply.
The decision, announced Tuesday by the energy ministry, comes as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to expose Europe’s dependence on external energy sources.
The fields—Albuskjell, Vest Ekofisk, and Tommeliten Gamma—lie less than 10 kilometres west of the giant Ekofisk deposit. All three were closed in 1998.
Operations will restart under a project led by U.S. energy firm ConocoPhillips, requiring an estimated investment of 19 billion kroner ($2 billion). Production is expected to run from 2028 to 2048.
Recoverable reserves are estimated at between 90 and 120 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Gas from the fields will be exported to Emden in Germany, while condensates—a liquid mixture of light hydrocarbons—will be sent to Teesside in Britain.
Energy Minister Terje Aasland said the project was vital for maintaining supply.
“Norwegian production of oil and gas is an important contribution to energy security in Europe,” Aasland said.
“Developing new gas fields allows Norway to maintain high supply levels over the long term. This has become all the more crucial since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.”
