Norway starts Troll Phase 3 gas production, accelerating 55 bcm to Europe
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Norway began production from the second stage of Troll Phase 3 on August 22, several months ahead of schedule and below the $1.2 billion cost estimate, according to Equinor. The project accelerates 55 billion cubic meters of gas from the Troll West reservoir, sustaining high deliveries to Europe from the continent's most important energy asset. The start-up comes one day after Equinor signed a 15-year supply agreement with Germany's Uniper for more than 30 TWh annually from 2027.
Key Facts
- Production from Troll Phase 3 stage 2 began on August 22, several months earlier than planned and tens of millions of dollars below the original estimate of approximately $1.2 billion.
- The project accelerates 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Troll West reservoir, equivalent to almost two years of French gas demand.
- The Norwegian Offshore Directorate says the development could accelerate as much as 7 billion cubic meters in a single year, roughly 6% of Norway's recent annual gas exports.
- Troll A began production in 1996 and the Troll field contains approximately 40% of remaining gas reserves on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, supplying gas equivalent to about 10% of European consumption.
- Equinor signed a 15-year agreement with Germany's Uniper on August 21 to supply more than 30 terawatt-hours, or approximately 2.8 billion cubic meters, of gas annually from 2027.
Troll Phase 3 Start-Up
Equinor started production from the second stage of Troll Phase 3 on August 22, several months ahead of schedule and at a cost tens of millions of dollars below the original estimate of approximately $1.2 billion. The project accelerates 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Troll West reservoir, supporting production through Troll A and the Kollsnes processing plant as output from other mature Norwegian fields declines. Lill Harriet Brusdal, Equinor's vice president for Troll and Kvitebjørn, said the project accelerates production from the reservoir, helping maintain today's high level of gas exports from Troll and Kollsnes for as long as possible. The Norwegian Offshore Directorate estimates the development could accelerate as much as 7 billion cubic meters in a single year, equivalent to roughly 6% of Norway's recent annual gas exports.
Troll Field Infrastructure
Troll A began production in 1996 and remains one of the pillars of the European gas system, with the Troll field containing approximately 40% of the remaining gas reserves on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The field alone supplies gas equivalent to around 10% of European consumption, sending gas through pipelines to Kollsnes on Norway's west coast for processing before entering the European pipeline network. Both Troll A and Kollsnes are powered from shore, giving the field a significantly lower operational emissions intensity than many competing sources of gas. Norway has replaced Russia as Europe's largest supplier of pipeline gas since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, making operational performance at large Norwegian fields and processing facilities directly influential for European energy security.
European Supply Agreements
The start-up came one day after Equinor signed a 15-year agreement to supply Germany's Uniper with more than 30 terawatt-hours, or approximately 2.8 billion cubic meters, of gas annually from 2027. The timing highlights the connection between Norway's upstream investments and Europe's growing demand for long-term supply certainty, with contracts extending into the 2040s requiring more than gas in the ground.
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Norway starts Troll Phase 3 gas production, accelerating 55 bcm to Europe
