By Dominic Chopping


Equinor said production at the Breidablikk field in the North Sea started Friday, four months ahead of schedule and within budget.

The Norwegian energy major said that when the plan for development and operation was submitted in September 2020, production from Breidablikk was scheduled to start in the first half of 2024, with predrilling and completion of five wells. However, eight wells have already been drilled and the drilling of additional wells will continue on the field until the end of 2025.

Investments in the project are expected to be just over 21 billion Norwegian kroner ($1.91 billion) and the field holds almost 200 million barrels of recoverable oil.

"At peak, Breidablikk is expected to send up to 55,000-60,000 barrels of oil to the market daily, mainly to Europe," said Kjetil Hove, Equinor's executive vice president for exploration and production Norway.

Partners in the field are Equinor as operator with a 39% share, Var Energi with 34.4%, Petoro with 22.2% and ConocoPhillips with 4.4%.


Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-20-23 0427ET