COSL Pioneer starts Balder Phase VI drilling campaign in North Sea
Project at a Glance: Balder redevelopment
- Operator: Vår Energi
- Location: Norwegian North Sea
- Current activity: Balder Phase VI trilateral well drilling
- Infrastructure: Jotun FPSO upgrade and debottlenecking
- Near-term milestones: King and Phase VI wells expected online in 2026
- Long-term objective: Removal of the Balder FPU in 2028
Vår Energi expects to complete a planned shutdown shortly of the Jotun FPSO serving the Balder area in the North Sea, partner Kistos said in a results update.
The FPSO debottlenecking project is advancing as part of the broader Balder area redevelopment program. This is designed to increase processing capacity and operational flexibility, and enable removal of the Balder FPU in 2028.
Having completed Balder Phase V drilling, the semisub COSL Pioneer has spud the single Phase VI trilateral well.
The King well has also been drilled from the Ringhorne platform, with both developments expected to contribute additional production later this year.
Norwegian Sea production update
Also offshore Norway, Harbour Energy brought onstream the Dvalin Nord gas field at the end of June via a subsea tieback to the Heidrun platform, partner DNO reported in its trading update.
The development adds new gas volumes through existing infrastructure, reflecting the continued role of tieback projects in extending production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and accelerating time to market for new discoveries.
Key takeaway
The Balder redevelopment highlights how North Sea operators are extending field life and maximizing recovery through a combination of new wells, infrastructure upgrades and tieback-led development strategies.
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About the Author
Jeremy Beckman
Staff Writer / Editor, Europe
Jeremy Beckman has been Editor Europe, Offshore since 1992. Prior to joining Offshore he was a freelance journalist for eight years, working for a variety of electronics, computing and scientific journals in the UK. He regularly writes news columns on trends and events both in the NW Europe offshore region and globally. He also writes features on developments and technology in exploration and production.