Norway's field of dreams
Equinor has had to dig deep to get Aasta Hansteen underway, in more ways than one
The Aasta Hansteen gas field has faced a challenging development as the first Norwegian Sea deepwater project -perhaps even comparable to the journey of the trailblazing 19th century Norwegian feminist after which it is named. But its operator believes these are worth overcoming due to the field's potential to open up a major new European exploration area. Located some 300km west of Sandnessjøen, far from other fields and in an area known for harsh weather conditions, Aasta Hansteen faced a range of logistical obstacles before starting production last December. Operated by Norway's Equinor and partners including Austria's OMV, Germany's Wintershall and US independent ConocoPhillips, Aasta Ha
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
