Equinor Brings Halten East Online Amid Strong Demand for Norwegian Gas

“We are bringing Halten East online at a time when Norwegian piped gas is in high demand and plays a crucial role in energy security. Despite a challenging environment with rising costs and inflation, the project has been delivered on time and within budget,” said Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s executive vice president for projects, drilling, and procurement. The project is expected to break even within a year.

Halten East is a tie-in development in the Kristin-Åsgard area of the Norwegian Sea, with Vår Energi and Petoro as partners. The development includes six gas discoveries, with additional capacity for three more prospects, leveraging existing infrastructure and processing facilities at Åsgard B.

The Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) was approved in February 2023, and now, two years later, gas from the first well, Gamma, has come online as planned. The initial phase includes six wells from five discoveries, while a second phase, scheduled for 2029, will involve a sidetrack and up to three additional wells. The total investment across both phases is estimated at approximately NOK 9 billion.

The reservoirs at Halten East contain gas and condensate, with recoverable reserves estimated at around 100 million barrels of oil equivalent. Gas from the development will be transported via pipeline from Åsgard B to Kårstø and then exported to Europe.

“Halten East highlights the value of regional developments and close cooperation between license owners and authorities to maximize resources on the Norwegian continental shelf. By working together, we can develop industrial solutions that provide energy at low cost and with minimal emissions. Equinor has a robust portfolio of projects designed to connect new discoveries to our existing production hubs, with more than 30 similar projects expected to come online on the NCS by 2035,” said Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for development and production on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Approximately 90% of Halten East’s investment has gone to Norwegian suppliers. The development phase is expected to generate around 3,000 person-years of employment annually from 2022 to 2029.

In November 2024, Equinor acquired Sval Energi’s 11.8% stake in the Halten East Unit, increasing its ownership share to 69.5%.