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Johan Castberg

Johan Castberg FPSO heading for the field in Barents Sea.
Johan Castberg FPSO heading for the field in Barents Sea.
Photo: Øyvind Gravås & Eirin Lillebø/Equinor

The Johan Castberg field is located approx. 100 kilometres north of the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea, and is Norway’s northernmost field.

Johan Castberg came on stream 31 March 2025, and is expected to produce for 30 years.

The field gathers and develops the resources from three different oil discoveries: Skrugard, Havis and Drivis, all of which are located in production licence 532.

At peak, Johan Castberg can produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, and recoverable volumes are estimated at between 450 and 650 million barrels.

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Development solution

The field is developed with the production vessel Johan Castberg and an extensive subsea installation, with a total of 30 wells distributed across 10 subsea templates and two satellite structures.

The Johan Castberg vessel is a so-called FPSO with subsea solutions. The expected recoverable resources are estimated at 450—650 million barrels of oil equivalents.

With its 313 meters, the anchored production vessel is no doubt an eye-catcher, but it is underwater that the real size of the field presents itself. Johan Castberg is a major subsea field and is important for potential further development and infrastructure in the Barents Sea.

Johan Castberg field operations are supported from a supply base and a helicopter base in Hammerfest. The operating organisation is located in Harstad.

The Johan Castberg field development provides important infrastructure in a new oil province in the Barents Sea, and new volumes have been discovered in the area. Five more discoveries are being considered tied into Johan Castberg and we plan for further exploration in the areas around Johan Castberg in the years to come.

  • The Equinor-operated discoveries Skrugard from 2011, Havis from 2012 and Drivis from 2014 constitute what is now the Johan Castberg project.
  • Johan Castberg is designed for a daily production of 35,000 Sm3 oil equivalents (near 220,000 barrels)
  • Location: Johan Castberg is located approx. 100 kilometres north of the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea in blocks 7219/9 and 7220/4,5,7, around 240 km from Melkøya and 150 km from Goliat. The water depth is 360-390 metres, and Skrugard and Havis are 7 km apart.
  • Discoveries: Skrugard April 2011, Havis January 2012, Drivis May 2014.

Facts about Johan Castberg

  • Licensees: Equinor Energy AS (operator) 46.3%, Vår Energi ASA 30%, Petoro AS 23.7%.
  • The Johan Castberg field consists of the Skrugard, Havis and Drivis discoveries, which were made between 2011 and 2014.
  • Location: Johan Castberg is located approx. 100 kilometres north of the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea in blocks 7219/9 and 7220/4,5,7 approximately 150 km from Goliat and around 240 km from Melkøya. The water depth is 360-390 metres, and Skrugard and Havis are 7 km apart.
  • Johan Castberg is the second oil field in the Barents Sea and Norway’s northernmost field.
  • The field development is based on a production vessel tied back to an extensive subsea field with a total of 30 wells distributed between 10 well templates and two satellite structures.