Equinor Invests $390 Million to Expand Massive Troll Gas Field Amid Europe's Search for New Gas Sources
TWIN Project to Extract Additional 11 Billion Cubic Meters of Gas, Strengthening European Energy Security
Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor and its partners are investing over 4 billion NOK (390 million USD) to expand the Troll gas field—one of the largest in the North Sea that supplies approximately 10% of Europe's natural gas and contains 40% of Norway's remaining gas reserves.
The project is expected to extract an additional 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas, equivalent to approximately 69 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), thereby further consolidating one of Europe's most important energy sources.
TWIN Project: The Third Phase of Troll Phase 3
Known as TWIN (Troll West Increased Gas Recovery North), the development project will include two new wells connected to existing offshore infrastructure at the Troll field in the North Sea. Production is expected to commence as early as 2028.
"We aim to start production as early as 2028. By simplifying, increasing standardization, and reusing existing infrastructure and equipment, we are reducing costs and enabling faster production," Gunnar Nakken, Senior Vice President for Projects and Subsea Norway at Equinor, said in a statement.
The TWIN project marks the third phase of Troll Phase 3, a broader effort to maximize gas recovery from the Troll West reservoir while extending the production life of one of Europe's most important offshore gas fields.
| TWIN Project Overview | |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Troll West Increased Gas Recovery North (TWIN) |
| Investment | 4 billion NOK (390 million USD) |
| Expected Production | 11 billion cubic meters of gas (69 million boe) |
| Production Start Date | As early as 2028 |
| Components | 2 new wells connected to existing infrastructure |
Strategic Importance of the Troll Field
The significance of the Troll field extends beyond Norway's borders. The field contains approximately 40% of Norway's total gas reserves on the continental shelf and has become one of the cornerstones of the European energy system. According to Equinor, gas produced from the Troll field alone currently meets about 10% of Europe's annual gas demand.
This makes every additional volume from the Troll field strategically significant. The 11 billion cubic meters of additional gas expected from TWIN may seem modest compared to the Troll field's enormous resource base, but these volumes are meaningful in the European context.
The project is expected to provide enough gas to meet about 2-3% of Europe's annual gas demand. This volume is equivalent to Belgium's annual gas consumption, highlighting how a relatively small, connected project can still provide a meaningful new energy source for Europe.
Development Using Existing Infrastructure
The development will be built using existing infrastructure, including a new subsea template with two wells connected to existing facilities. The existing flexible flowlines and MEG system will be extended to support production, reducing both costs and development time.
This project follows a series of investments aimed at maintaining production from Troll A and the Kollsnes processing plant. The second phase of Troll Phase 3 is expected to come online in 2026 and is designed to maintain high gas production through the end of this decade. TWIN aims to extend that production profile even further.
| The Troll Field's Role in the European Energy System | |
|---|---|
| Norway's Gas Reserves Share | 40% |
| Europe's Gas Supply Share | 10% |
| Expected Volume from TWIN | 2-3% of Europe's annual gas demand |
| Equivalent To | Belgium's annual gas consumption |
Electrification and Low Emissions
Unlike many gas projects worldwide, the Troll field benefits from electrification. Both the Troll A platform and the Kollsnes processing plant are powered from shore, allowing the field to deliver gas with relatively low operational emissions.
Long-Term Industrial Strategy
This investment also highlights a broader shift occurring on the Norwegian continental shelf as operators seek to compensate for declining field sizes and rising development costs through standardized subsea solutions and faster project execution.
"Our fields are maturing, new discoveries are smaller, and costs are rising. If we are to continue delivering, we need to do something fundamentally different," Nakken said.
Equinor has set targets to halve costs and time for executing subsea developments while increasing activity across the Norwegian continental shelf. The company aims to develop six to eight subsea projects per year by 2035.
Future Production and European Energy Security
That strategy is an important part of Equinor's long-term production ambitions. Despite the resource base maturing, the company is targeting production of 1.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day from the Norwegian continental shelf by 2035.
The investment comes as Europe continues to replace lost Russian pipeline supplies and seeks long-term gas deliveries from reliable suppliers. Norway has emerged as Europe's largest external supplier, with Troll serving as the backbone of that supply system.
As Europe seeks secure, long-term energy sources, Norway is focusing on a field that has supplied one in every cubic meters of gas consumed on the continent. The TWIN project shows that existing North Sea infrastructure can continue to provide meaningful new energy supplies well into the next decade.
By Jan-Thore Bergsagel for Oilprice.com