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
10 March 2026
From Venezuela to Hormuz, the US—backed by the most powerful military force ever assembled—is redrawing not only oil and gas flows but also the global balance of energy power
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent






