Electrification is happening all over society, whether in transportation, industry, buildings, or agriculture. It means replacing fossil-based energy sources with electricity, typically energy-intensive industrial processes powered by gas, oil or coal. Electrification is the key to the energy transition by reducing CO2 emitted from fossil fuels.
In Equinor, we are working systematically to cut our emissions, but oil and gas production are very energy-intensive processes.
Today, the oil and gas industry largely operates using power from small gas turbines, contributing to roughly a quarter of Norway’s total greenhouse gas emissions. With the long-term global demand for oil and gas, it’s essential that we produce with the lowest possible emissions.
Electrification significantly reduces emissions and also enhances our competitiveness by saving CO2 costs and extending the lifespan of producing fields. This enables us to sustain high energy deliveries with lower emissions from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), which is crucial for Europe’s energy security.
We therefore plan to replace the use of gas turbines with power from shore for some of our fields and installations with longer operational life spans. For some installations, full electrification will be optimal, while for others, partial electrification will be more suitable, meaning some of the power needs will continue to be met by gas turbines.
planned reduction in our emissions from the NCS by 2030
planned reduction in our emissions from the NCS by 2040
emissions from our oil and gas production on the NCS by 2050
Electrification of long-lifespan installations is the most effective and cost-efficient measure for achieving the parliamentary resolution of halving CO2 emissions from the NCS by 2030. We have already implemented two-thirds of the electrification measures necessary to achieve this goal.
This will require additional electricity, but the oil and gas sector will only require only eight percent of Statnett’s reserved and requested power capacity in Norway.
These electrification projects will create significant economic ripple effects in Norway and develop important expertise for the energy transition within the supplier industry.
Electrification of Hammerfest LNG is one of the most important measures to reduce emissions in Norway.
Hywind Tampen: the world’s first floating wind farm built to supply offshore oil and gas installations.
Norway Energy Hub is Equinor’s industrial plan for Norway’s future energy industry.
Troll A was the first platform on the NCS to be electrified, back in 1996.
The Gjøa field was electrified right from the start in 2010. As the development operator, Equinor laid a 100-km long cable from Mongstad to the Gjøa field, which was the world’s longest alternating current cable at the time.
The Johan Sverdrup field is electrified by power from the mainland, contributing to the record-low emissions from production. Johan Sverdrup, which started producing in 2019, has CO₂ emissions of only 0.67 kilos per barrel compared to an average of around 9 kilos on the NCS and 15 kilos globally.
In 2018, Martin Linge was prepared for electrification by laying a 163 km cable from Kollsnes. Production from the Martin Linge field started in 2021.
In 2023, Gullfaks and Snorre were supplied with wind power from the Hywind Tampen pioneer project, the world's largest floating offshore wind farm.
Later, all platforms on Utsira High were connected to power from shore, including Gina Krog (2023), the Sleipner field centre and Gudrun (both in 2024).
The platforms Troll B and Troll C were partially electrified in 2024.
The Oseberg Gas Phase 2 and Power from Shore (OGP) project consists of partial electrification of the Oseberg Field Centre and Oseberg South, as well as installation of a new compressor module at the field centre. Norwegian authorities approved the project in 2022. Planned completion has been postponed from 2026 to the end of 2027 due to increased lead times for new transformers that were destroyed in a fire at Hitachi’s factory in Finland in 2023 and delays relating to increased complexity. The project will be able to reduce CO₂ emissions by 320,000 tonnes per year.
In 2023, the authorities approved the Snøhvit Future project for future operation of Snøhvit and Hammerfest LNG, with some conditions. The approval involves land compression from 2028 and electrification of the plant from 2030. The project is estimated to save annual CO₂ emissions of 850,000 tonnes.
The project to electrify the OKEA-operated Draugen and Equinor-operated Njord platforms was approved by the authorities in 2023. The emission cuts are estimated at 200,000 and 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, respectively.
Already completed or approved electrification projects account for two-thirds of the planned reductions in greenhouse gas emissions towards 2030.
For the last third, Equinor aims to electrify three new areas on the NCS: the Halten, Tampen, and Grane/Balder areas. These projects can cut annual emissions by about 1.1 million tonnes of CO₂ from Equinor-operated platforms.
Partial electrification of installations on the Halten Bank includes grid connection, power cable from the mainland, and modifications to the Equinor-operated platforms Heidrun, Åsgard B, and Kristin. In addition, the Skarv platform, operated by Aker BP, is included. The project has received a 171 MW reservation from Statnett. The project can reduce emissions by about 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
In the Tampen area, the goal is to supply the Equinor-operated platforms Snorre A and B, and Gullfaks C with power from shore. The project includes grid connection, power cable from land to Snorre A, and further to Snorre B and Gullfaks C, as well as modifications to the installations. The project has not been allocated capacity in the power grid and is queued for connection with a request for 180 MW capacity. The project can reduce emissions by about 490,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Electrification in the Grane/Balder area includes a transformer station Haugalandet, a power cable to the Grane field and further to the Balder field. Grane is operated by Equinor, while Balder is operated by Vår Energi. The project has reserved 120 MW in the power grid and can reduce CO₂ emissions by about 320,000 tonnes per year.
The platforms were chosen through a thorough process where, among other things, technology, remaining lifespan, probability of new discoveries, and concept were assessed.
The electrified platforms will serve as low-carbon hubs for new discoveries in their areas, allowing us to maintain high energy deliveries with lower emissions from the NCS.
The new projects can contribute the last third of the emission reduction. Along with efficiency measures and consolidation, this would ensure the goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 is met.
The projects are currently in an early phase and much work remains before final investment decisions in the various partnerships can potentially be made. Thereafter the authorities must approve the projects. The goal is for the projects to be operational by 2030.
Equinor agrees that Norway must be able to develop enough electrical power so that both the continental shelf and mainland industry can be further developed. It is important that sufficient power distribution is built in Norway so that we avoid internal bottlenecks that can hinder important business development and value creation.