Equinor and its partners are moving forward with plans for a fourth development phase at the giant Johan Sverdrup field after recent appraisal drilling confirmed additional recoverable resources in the North Sea.
The company said discoveries at the Tonjer West, Tonjer East, and Geitungen prospects will form the basis of Johan Sverdrup Phase 4, a proposed subsea development tied back to the field’s existing infrastructure
Preliminary estimates place the combined resource potential at between 20 million and 30 million barrels of oil equivalent. The project is being matured toward a final investment decision, with production startup targeted for 2029. By utilizing existing Johan Sverdrup facilities, the partners aim to bring the resources online quickly while keeping development costs and emissions relatively low. “These are important and profitable volumes for Johan Sverdrup,” said Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for Development and Production Norway.
He added that the discoveries would help sustain production and value creation from one of Norway’s most important oil assets. Located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Johan Sverdrup has been the country’s largest producing oil field since coming on stream and remains a cornerstone of Norwegian crude output. The new discoveries are expected to help offset natural production declines and extend the productive life of the field.