Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) and Aker BP (OTC: AKRBF) have confirmed a gas and condensate discovery in the North Sea, targeting the Linga prospect via exploration well 25/7-13.
The well was drilled in production license 782 S, situated approximately 16 kilometers northwest of the Balder field and 205 kilometers west of Stavanger, Norway.
COSL’s COSLInnovator semi-submersible drilling rig was used to drill the exploration well at the Linga prospect location.
Equinor serves as the operator of the license, holding a 60% share, while Aker BP retains the remaining 40% interest in the production license.
Preliminary estimates from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate place the size of the discovery between 0.1 and 2.1 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil equivalent.
The wide range in the Norwegian Offshore Directorate’s estimates reflects the early-stage nature of the find and the technical uncertainties that typically accompany initial exploration assessments.
Production license 782 S was originally awarded in 2015 under the APA 2014 licensing round, and the recently drilled well marks the third well completed within that license area.
Both Equinor and Aker BP are currently reviewing results from well 25/7-13 alongside data from the two previously drilled wells to assess further prospectivity and exploration potential across the license.
The review process will be critical in determining whether the Linga discovery can be developed commercially or whether it will serve primarily as a data point for broader regional exploration planning.
Following the completion of drilling at the Linga prospect, the COSLInnovator rig has moved on to production license 50 HS in the northern part of the North Sea.
There, it will drill wildcat well 34/10-56 S, another operation led by Equinor, continuing the company’s active exploration push across Norwegian waters.
The back-to-back drilling campaign reflects Equinor’s sustained commitment to unlocking remaining hydrocarbon potential in the mature but still productive North Sea basin.
Norway’s North Sea acreage continues to attract exploration activity as operators seek to extend field life and identify tie-back opportunities for existing offshore infrastructure in the region.
