Vår Energi Makes Gas Discovery in Norwegian Sea
October 19, 2026
Vår Energi and Equinor have made a gas and condensate discovery at the Lakris prospect in the Norwegian Sea, with preliminary estimates indicating recoverable resources of between 1.3 million and 5.5 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).
The discovery was made in wildcat well 6407/5-3 S in the Gimsan Basin on the Halten Terrace, approximately 170 kilometers northwest of Kristiansund.
The well was drilled by COSL's COSLProspector semi-submersible rig in production license 1002, operated by Vår Energi with a 42.3% working interest. Equinor holds the remaining 57.7%.
According to the preliminary assessment, the discovery contains between 0.2 million and 0.9 million standard cubic meters of recoverable oil equivalent.
The well was drilled to a measured depth of 2,986 meters and a vertical depth of 2,793 meters below sea level, terminating in the Lower Triassic Klappmyss Formation. Water depth at the drilling location is 406 meters.
The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned following completion of drilling operations.
Well 6407/5-3 S was the first exploration well drilled in production license 1002, which was awarded on March 1, 2019, under Norway's 2018 Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) licensing round.
