Norway Clears Equinor to Use Troll-Kvitebjørn Gas Export Pipeline

(Credit: Øyvind Hagen/Equinor)

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted consent for the start-up of a tie-in from the Equinor-operated Troll B platform in the North Sea to the Kvitebjørn gas export line.

The tie-in will help reduce the decline in gas production in upcoming years, according to NOD.

A new gas export solution will facilitate increased gas export from Troll B, as gas injection is no longer needed there. It also provides additional flexibility as the gas can be exported via both the Troll A and Kvitebjørn gas pipelines.

The consent applies to start-up of gas export from the Troll B platform to the Kvitebjørn gas line to Kollsnes. The expected start date is in the fourth quarter of 2025.

“The new gas export solution with tie-in to the Kvitebjørn gas pipeline will contribute to reducing the decline in gas production in the coming years.

“The Norwegian Offshore Directorate is very pleased that the previous gas injection solution for improved oil recovery will be re-used. The fact that it’s being converted into a gas export solution will contribute to further value creation,” said Niels Erik Hald, assistant director Offshore South in the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. 

The Equinor-operated Troll field is located at a water depth of 300-330 meters, 60 kilometers southwest of Sognefjorden in the North Sea. The field has two primary structures: Troll East and Troll West.

The gas from Troll B (Troll East) was previously exported via the Troll A facility to Kollsnes, and some of the gas was injected.

The gas injection solution has now been converted into an export solution and tied into the Kvitebjørn gas pipeline located about 2.45 kilometers away. This entails that Troll B will have the flexibility going forward to export via both the Troll A and Kvitebjørn gas pipelines.

Investments to establish the new gas export solution total around $116.5 million (NOK 1.16 billion), NOD noted.