Equinor and its partners Petoro, TotalEnergies, Shell and ConocoPhillips in the Troll and Oseberg fields, have initiated a study and are looking into possible options for building a floating offshore wind farm in the Troll area some 65 kilometres west of Bergen, Norway.

With an installed capacity of about ~1 GW and an annual production of ~4.3 TWh, with a startup in 2027, Trollvind could provide much of the electricity needed to run the offshore fields Troll and Oseberg through an onshore connection point. The Bergen area already serves several of these installations with power – and needs more input to its electricity grid. The plan is that the partnership will buy as much energy as the wind farm can produce at a price that can make the project possible.

Power from Trollvind could make a solid contribution towards electrification of oil and gas installations, accelerate offshore wind development in Norway, and deliver extra power to the Bergen region.

“By producing oil and gas with low greenhouse gas emissions, we reinforce the competitiveness of the Norwegian shelf, maintain activity in the industry and safeguard future value creation. Trollvind is a concept where renewable energy works to facilitate several objectives; helping cut emissions through electrification, delivering power to an area where shortages have already created challenges for new industrial development, and Norway maintains its position as a leader in the industrialisation of floating offshore wind. A full-scale floating offshore wind farm like Trollvind could boost momentum towards realising the Norwegian authorities’ ambition to position Norway as an offshore wind nation, building on expertise from the oil and gas industry,” says Equinor’s chief executive, Anders Opedal.

In 2020, the Norwegian parliament (Stortinget) decided to intensify emission reductions requirements from the Norwegian continental shelf from 40 to 50 per cent by 2030. To achieve this target, large-scale industrial single-point emission sources, such as offshore oil and gas installations, must reduce their emissions. Electrification of installations with long remaining lifetimes will be a key initiative to succeed with this transition.

“This initiative provides the supplier industry with predictability and an offshore wind portfolio to work with in the years ahead,” Opedal adds.

“This can be a fantastic opportunity for Norway and for the industry,” said Shell’s global EVP, Renewable Generation, Thomas Brostrøm. “Using our integrated capabilities to decarbonise existing operations and accelerate offshore wind development is exactly the kind of action our companies need to be taking to further society’s progress towards net zero by 2050”.

“We are excited about the possibilities to supply our energy production offshore with new renewable power. This project confirms Norway’s leadership in green energy production and our experience that working together is a value enabler,” says Phil Cunningham, TotalEnergies Managing Director and Country Chair.

"In this study, we build on our Norwegian competitive edge and strengths: Technology development and collaboration. The cooperation between all parties is crucial to realize the transformation of the industry to a low-carbon future. This is important for Norway as a mature oil and gas region and will ensure a competitive Norwegian shelf also in the future," says Kristin F. Kragseth, Petoro's CEO.

Trollvind can be realised by building on the good collaboration established between government authorities and the industry through Hywind Tampen. Experience can be transferred and learning utilised while at the same time identifying and implementing good co-existence solutions from an early stage.

By transferring offshore wind power to shore this may enable the possibility to build a larger wind farm than one directly connected to oil and gas installations offshore. Increasing the size of wind farms is a key factor in industrialising floating offshore wind and reducing costs. Bringing the power to shore also promotes more efficient power utilisation through better interaction with regulated hydropower and onshore industry. Increased access to power in this area also means improved security of supply for the oil and gas installations.

The partners are evaluating commercial arrangements where the Trollvind development are selling power to the Troll and Oseberg installations and the Kollsnes plant. Trollvind will not require other forms of financial support. Estimates indicate that Trollvind can deliver power for less than NOK 1/kWh. Such an agreement would ensure greater long-term access to power at a stable price in an area where the power situation is strained. At the same time secure a sufficient income level for the wind farm to trigger the investment.

Trollvind is now being further matured by the Troll and Oseberg partners initiating feasibility studies aimed at an investment decision during 2023.

About Equinor

Equinor (OSE:EQNR, NYSE:EQNR), is an international energy company with a proud history. Formerly Statoil, we are 20,000 committed colleagues developing oil, gas, wind and solar energy in more than 30 countries worldwide. We’re the largest operator in Norway, among the world’s largest offshore operators, and a growing force in renewables. Driven by our Nordic urge to explore beyond the horizon, and our dedication to safety, equality and sustainability, we’re building a global business on our values and the energy needs of the future.

About Petoro

Petoro is a state-owned limited company which manages the SDFI in the Norwegian oil and gas sector. These holdings comprise a third of Norway’s oil and gas reserves and associated facilities.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

About Shell plc

Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies that aims to meet the world’s growing need for more and cleaner energy solutions in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially responsible.

About ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is one of the world’s leading exploration and production companies based on both production and reserves, with a globally diversified asset portfolio. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips had operations and activities in 14 countries, $91 billion of total assets and approximately 9,900 employees at Dec. 31, 2021. Production including Libya averaged 1,567 MBOED for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2021, and proved reserves were 6.1 BBOE as of Dec. 31, 2021.