Statoil wins Johan Sverdrup lifetime operatorship
The company was challenged by Lundin for the field in Norway
Norway's vast Johan Sverdrup oilfield is to be operated by Statoil for its lifetime, after the company - the interim operator - fended off a challenge from Lundin, which discovered the field. The agreement is due to be followed by the submission in February of a unitisation agreement and a development plan, with the target of first oil at the end of 2019. State-controlled Statoil prevailed over arguments that, because the field is so large, its development should be handled by a joint operatorship, or that Lundin might take over when production starts. Statoil promised to "cooperate closely with partners" in order to secure the best utilisation of Johan Sverdrup's reserves. The goal is to ac
Also in this section
16 April 2026
Demand for oil is falling because supply cannot meet it, not because it is no longer required
16 April 2026
The continent has an immediate opportunity to make the most of its energy resources by capturing gas that is currently slipping away
15 April 2026
The continent is seeing political pushback to climate plans, corporate reassessment of transition goals and rising supply risk in a fractured global order
15 April 2026
The Middle East energy crisis may turn out to be pivotal to the industry’s long-term expansion, but significant challenges still stand in its way






