New Discoveries Pave Way for Johan Sverdrup’s Next Phase
June 15, 2026
Equinor and its partners are advancing plans for a fourth development phase at the Johan Sverdrup field after appraisal drilling confirmed additional oil volumes in the area, supporting a new subsea tieback project aimed at sustaining production from Norway's largest oil-producing field.
The proposed Johan Sverdrup Phase 4 development will be based on discoveries at the Tonjer and Geitungen prospects, where recently completed appraisal wells have improved understanding of the resource base and increased estimates of recoverable volumes.
The new resources are planned to be developed through a subsea tieback to existing Johan Sverdrup infrastructure, allowing the partners to bring the volumes on stream using established facilities and minimizing development costs and emissions.
"These are important and profitable volumes for Johan Sverdrup. By tying new resources to existing infrastructure, we can develop them quickly, with low costs and low emissions. At the same time, they contribute to maintaining production and value creation from one of Norway's largest oil-producing field over time," said Kjetil Hove, Equinor's executive vice president for Development and Production Norway.
Johan Sverdrup has been a cornerstone of Norwegian oil production since production began, and Equinor said continued development of nearby discoveries is essential to maintaining output from the area over the long term.
"Johan Sverdrup has been the backbone of Norwegian oil production since its inception. In order to maintain production and value creation for decades to come, we must continuously develop new resources around the existing infrastructure. Phase 4 is a good example of how we can get more out of a world-class field," Hove said.
Tonjer is located in the northern part of the Geitungen terrace within the Johan Sverdrup area. Oil had previously been identified in the area, but uncertainty remained regarding the size and commercial potential of the resources. Two appraisal wells and a sidetrack well have now provided the basis for a more accurate resource assessment.
Preliminary estimates indicate combined resources at Tonjer and Geitungen of between 20 million and 30 million barrels of oil equivalent. Further subsurface analysis is expected to refine those estimates.
The project is now being matured toward a final investment decision, with a potential production start-up in 2029. It forms part of Equinor's broader strategy to accelerate subsea developments and maximize value from existing offshore infrastructure on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
The Johan Sverdrup partnership comprises Equinor, operator with 42.62%, Aker BP with 31.57%, Petoro with 17.36%, and TotalEnergies with 8.44%.
