The Equinor project was scheduled to start production only in 2024, however, it was brought forward and already has eight oil wells drilled.
Equinor has announced a significant milestone in oil production with the successful operation of the Breidablikk oil field, located deep in the North Sea. The news that draws attention is that production started 4 months ahead of schedule, with the project completed within the established budget. This submarine field, linked to the Grane platform, houses an impressive 200 million barrels of oil recoverable.
Discover the Breidablikk project
Strategic partnership: Equinor, Petoro, Vår Energi and ConocoPhillips operate the oil field
Equinor acts as the main operator of the asset, in partnership with the companies Petoro, Vår Energi and ConocoPhillips.
This major project will be operated in conjunction with the already established Grane field, further consolidating Equinor's position in the energy industry.
“The project is highly profitable, delivers important volumes to the market and will create great value for Norwegian society and owners. Almost five million man hours were dedicated to this project,” said Geir Tungesvik, executive vice president of projects, procurement and drilling at Equinor.
Advancement in the oil industry: Breidablikk in operation 4 months ahead of schedule
The advance in production represents a remarkable achievement, considering that, when the development and operations plan (PDO) was released in September 2020, Breidablikk production was scheduled to start only in the 1st half of 2024, with pre-drilling and the completion of 5 wells.
However, eight wells have already been drilled and additional wells are planned to be drilled by the end of 2025.
The Breidablikk development involves drilling a total of 22 submarine wells.
Equinor’s impact on the supply chain and job creation
A considerable infrastructure was set up, with ducts and cables installed between the subsea installation and the Grane platform, which was duly modified to receive the flow from the wells.
This project had substantial effects across Norway's entire supply chain, with more than 90% of the contract value going to local suppliers.
Kjetil Hove, Executive Vice President Exploration and Production at Equinor in Norway, expressed optimism about Breidablikk's impact on the Norwegian industry and economy:
“The Breidablikk field can help extend the productive life and approximately 1000 jobs associated with the operation of the Grane field until 2060. By utilizing existing infrastructure both offshore and onshore, this is a cost-effective development. At peak, Breidablikk is expected to ship up to 60 barrels per day to the market daily, mainly to Europe.”
The oil produced at this location will be processed in Grane and transported by pipeline to the terminal of Sture in Øygarden.
Breidablikk production will represent approximately 15% of Sture's exports in the coming years.
Joint management of the Breidablikk and Grane fields will be carried out from the Equinor organization in Sandsli, located in Bergen.
The early start of production represents an important milestone in the exploration of oil resources in the North Sea region.
Further highlighting the multinational's position as a leader in the global energy industry.
Equinor continues to play a key role in ensuring a reliable supply of oil for Europe and the world.
