January 16, 2025 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- In a historic achievement, the Troll field in the North Sea delivered its highest-ever annual natural gas production in 2024, reaching 42.5 billion standard cubic metres. This milestone marks a nearly 10 percent increase from the previous record of 38.8 billion standard cubic metres set in 2022.

A Pillar of Energy Security

The record-breaking output underscores Troll’s critical role in ensuring energy security for Europe. Equinor’s executive vice president for exploration & production Norway, Kjetil Hove, highlighted the significance of the accomplishment: “With record-high production in 2024, the Troll field confirms its position as a pillar of Europe’s energy security. The field contributes to a stable gas supply for millions of households and is essential for European industry. This milestone is the result of decades of targeted work to recover the Troll oil and gas resources efficiently and sustainably. It is rewarding to deliver such substantial volumes of gas when Europe needs it most.”

Sustainability and Efficiency

Since its inception in 1996, Troll A and the processing plant at Kollsnes have operated with electrification, resulting in some of the industry’s lowest emissions from production and transport. In 2024, partial electrification of the Troll B and C platforms further reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 90,000 tonnes—an approximate 15 percent decrease.

The enhanced production also benefitted from high operational regularity, the absence of turnarounds, and efficiency upgrades. Key developments such as riser replacement on Troll B and the 2021 expansion to include the gas cap in the western reservoir have significantly bolstered output.

Infrastructure Improvements at Kollsnes

The Kollsnes gas processing plant has undergone substantial upgrades in collaboration with operator Gassco. Capacity increased from 144.5 million to 156 million standard cubic metres per day, playing a pivotal role in supporting the record production levels.

Long-Term Perspective

Helge Haugane, Equinor’s senior vice president for gas and power trading, emphasised the importance of these achievements:
“The efforts to recover more Troll gas and increased export capacity clearly help ensure that our customers in Europe get the energy security and long-term perspective they need.”

The Troll field continues to demonstrate its significance in meeting Europe’s energy needs while setting new standards in sustainable resource management.

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