The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has put in focus a major undeveloped gas discovery in the Norwegian Sea that could offer significant value, but warned that time is running out to bring it into production.
The Gro discovery, located about 160 km from the Åsta Hansteen field and 350 km west of Sandnessjøen, is one of the largest undeveloped gas finds on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The Directorate said the field needs to be tied back to existing infrastructure at Åsta Hansteen field before facilities in the area are decommissioned.
"Gro has been left untouched in recent years. There's a time-limit on this, because the discovery needs to be tied back to the Åsta Hansteen field while we still have infrastructure in the area. In ten years, it could be too late," said Arne Jacobsen, Assistant Director for Technology and Subsurface at the Norwegian Offshore Directorate.
The discovery, made by Shell in 2009 and appraised in 2010, has faced development challenges linked to tight reservoir conditions.
Earlier estimates suggested a wide range of recoverable volumes between 10 and 100 billion standard cubic meters, while current projections indicate around 52 billion cubic meters of gas in place.
The license was relinquished in 2021 by Equinor and Wintershall, returning the discovery to authorities.
To help revive interest, the Directorate commissioned a study by Terra Stream Energy, producing new geological models and data sets aimed at supporting industry evaluation.
The regulator said the study could help companies assess whether Gro can be developed as a standalone project or as part of a broader solution in the Vøring Basin, where exploration activity has increased.
The findings will be made available ahead of the next round of awards in pre-defined areas (APA), as Norway seeks to encourage development of stranded gas resources.
Jacobsen said similar studies could be carried out for other undeveloped discoveries, noting that developing such resources while infrastructure remains in place will be key to ensuring profitability.