Equinor's Afrodite Gas Discovery Proves Much Larger Than Expected
October 29, 2026
A new appraisal well at the Afrodite gas discovery near the Kvitebjørn field in the North Sea has revealed that recoverable gas volumes could be more than twice as large as previously estimated, with recoverable gas and condensate resources now assessed at between 77 million and 180 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).
The discovery, located on the Norwegian continental shelf, contains total reservoir volumes estimated to be around three times the recoverable amount, although low permeability limits how much gas and condensate can be extracted.
The latest appraisal results have significantly increased the estimated resources at Afrodite, which was originally discovered in 2008, and will undergo further analysis.
"To find such large gas volumes in a mature area on the Norwegian continental shelf is very good. We have long had faith in the Afrodite discovery, and this appraisal well has uncovered volumes far above expectations," said Kjetil Hove, Equinor's executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway.
Equinor considers the discovery commercially viable and will continue evaluating a potential subsea development tied back to the existing Kvitebjørn platform.
If developed, gas from Afrodite could be transported through existing infrastructure to the Kollsnes processing plant in Øygarden before being delivered to the European market.
The appraisal well was drilled by the Deepsea Yantai rig, with Wellesley serving as the well operator and Equinor as operator of the production licence.
Afrodite was discovered in production licence PL293 by Eni Norway in 2008, with the latest increase in estimated resources established through drilling a branch well in autumn 2026.
The discovery contains a high-pressure, high-temperature reservoir with low permeability, meaning gas flows slowly through the rock, making extraction more challenging.
Equinor holds a 60% interest in the discovery, alongside ORLEN Upstream Norway with 25%, DNO Norway with 10% and Wellesley Petroleum with 5%.
