Production from the Equinor operated Askeladd West field in the Barents Sea has commenced. Askeladd West will be an important contributor in maintaining the production plateau of the Snøhvit field.

The Askeladd West subsea gas field is an important step in the continued development of the Snøhvit field. Thie highly profitable project adds gross recoverable reserves of about 15 billion standard cubic metres of gas and will ensure full capacity utilisation of the Hammerfest LNG plant in the years to come.

COO in Vår Energi, Torger Rød, said:

“We congratulate Equinor with the safe and successful start-up of Askeladd West. The field will contribute with reserves of around 11 million barrels of oil equivalent net to Vår Energi, and further enhances our position as a key player in the Barents Sea. Norway is a key provider of gas to Europe, and Vår Energi plays a significant role in this, as one of the country’s largest exporters of gas”.

Askeladd West consists of two wells in a new subsea template tied back to the Snøhvit field. The field is produced through Hammerfest LNG, the only plant in Northern Europe producing and exporting liquified natural gas. The plant produces 6.5 billion standard cubic metres of gas each year. This is the equivalent of about five per cent of Norway’s total gas exports, and about two per cent of the EU's gas demand.

Equinor Energy AS is operator (36.79%) of Askeladd West, with Vår Energi (12%), Petoro AS (30%), Total E&P Norge AS (18.40%) and Harbour Energy Norway AS (2.81%) as partners.

About Vår Energi

Vår Energi is a leading independent upstream oil and gas company on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). We are committed to deliver a better future through responsible value driven growth based on over 50 years of NCS operations, a robust and diversified asset portfolio with ongoing development projects, and a strong exploration track record.

Safe and responsible operations are at the core of our strategy. Our ambition is to be the safest operator on the NCS, and to become carbon neutral in our net equity operational emissions by 2030.

Vår Energi has around 1400 employees and equity stakes in 42 producing fields. We have our headquarters outside Stavanger, Norway, with offices in Oslo, Hammerfest and Florø.