Norway's Ministry of Energy has granted approval for the development and operation plan of the Greater Ekofisk area project, involving previously producing fields. This paves the way for the redevelopment of three offshore oil fields that had been in production before.

The project, operated by ConocoPhillips, involves the joint redevelopment of the Albuskjell, Vest Ekofisk, and Tommeliten Gamma fields. This will be achieved by connecting them via subsea tie-backs to the existing Ekofisk complex in the North Sea.

The development plan includes drilling 11 new wells from four subsea templates, connected via a shared pipeline system. It is estimated to recover between 90 million and 120 million barrels of oil equivalent in natural gas and condensate resources. First production is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2028.

The project is expected to contribute to Norway's efforts to increase its natural gas exports to Europe.

Steinar Våge, President of ConocoPhillips Europe & North Africa, stated that utilizing existing infrastructure allows for the production of significant resources at low cost. He noted that these approvals represent a major milestone for the project and the company's long-term commitment in the Ekofisk area, while also strengthening gas exports to Europe.

ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS holds a 35.1% interest in the Albuskjell and Vest Ekofisk fields, and a 28.3% interest in Tommeliten Gamma. Vår Energi holds 52.3% in Albuskjell and Vest Ekofisk, and 9.1% in Tommeliten Gamma. Orlen Upstream Norway holds 7.6% and 62.6% in the respective fields. The state-owned Petoro holds the remaining 5% interest in Albuskjell and Vest Ekofisk.