Orlen boosts gas output in Norway. Ormen Lange expansion strengthens supply security

Orlen has completed another phase of development at the Ormen Lange gas field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Leveraging state-of-the-art subsea technology, the company will increase its annual gas production in Norway by 0.5 bcm.

Oskar Wojciechowski sales / advertising 27.08.2025, 11:47 Reading time: 2 min

A crane lifts the OL3 CM 0002 compressor module above an offshore platform as workers look on — fot. ORLEN

In brief

ORLEN Group has completed the third phase of development of the Ormen Lange field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, increasing its gas production in Norway by 0.5 billion cubic metres per year, to 1.5 billion cubic metres. Four gas compressors were installed on the seabed and are controlled from the Nyhamna terminal 120 kilometres away. Production at Ormen Lange will rise by 50 percent at peak, with an additional 4 to 7 billion cubic metres falling to ORLEN. ORLEN Upstream Norway holds a 14 percent stake in the field.

Ormen Lange – a cornerstone asset in Europe

Discovered in 1997, Ormen Lange is the second-largest gas field in the Norwegian Sea, with recoverable reserves estimated at 330 bcm. Located 120 km offshore, at water depths of up to 1,000 m and with the reservoir almost 3,000 m below seabed, the field is regarded as one of the most technically demanding in Europe.

In the latest development stage, four subsea gas compressors were installed directly on the seabed – a departure from the industry standard of platform-based units. The solution reduces costs, enhances operational safety, and maximises recovery efficiency. The compressors are remotely powered and controlled from onshore facilities using almost exclusively renewable electricity.

– Ormen Lange is one of Orlen’s most valuable upstream assets. With this investment, our annual output from the field will rise to 1.5 bcm. Importantly, the applied solutions improve resource recovery while eliminating CO₂ emissions from operations, said Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO of Orlen.

Advanced subsea technology

Remote subsea compression, controlled from the Nyhamna gas terminal 120 km away, is considered a world-class engineering achievement. Prior to deployment, the systems underwent rigorous validation – from advanced simulations to full-scale physical modelling the size of a football field.

At peak, the compressors will lift production by 50%, adding an estimated 30–50 bcm of recoverable gas from the field. Orlen’s share will amount to 4–7 bcm. The overall recovery factor at Ormen Lange will thus rise from 75% to 85%, placing it among the most efficiently developed gas fields globally.

Strategic growth for Poland’s energy transition

Orlen Upstream Norway holds a 14% stake in Ormen Lange, alongside partners Petoro, Equinor, Shell (operator), and Vår Energi. The company currently produces from 20 fields and is advancing seven further developments. In 2023, Orlen’s Norwegian operations delivered 40.5 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 4.6 bcm of gas, transported to Poland via the Baltic Pipe.

According to Orlen’s strategy, own gas production will grow by around 50% by 2030, reaching 12 bcm annually – half of it from Norway. This trajectory aligns with Poland’s forecasted gas demand, expected to rise to 27 bcm per year by the next decade, driven primarily by the commissioning of new gas-fired power units within the country’s energy transition.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Oskar Wojciechowski