Aker BP Discovers New Oil Field in North Sea

Aker BP, a prominent Norwegian oil and gas company, has successfully concluded its exploration campaign in the North Sea with the discovery of a significant oil find off the coast of Norway. The discovery, named Omega Alfa, has added substantial new resources to the Yggdrasil area, with an estimated recoverable volume of 96–134 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).

Exploration Campaign Details

The exploration campaign, which began in early May 2025, involved drilling operations using Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Stavanger rig. Over a period of three months, the team drilled a total of 45,000 meters, including 40,000 meters in reservoir sections. This campaign set a new milestone with the drilling of the three longest well branches ever on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, with the longest branch reaching 10,666 meters.

The campaign targeted five exploration areas – Omega, Alfa, Alfa South, Sigma NE, and Pi – through a multilateral well located west of Yggdrasil. Initial reports indicated a discovery of 20–40 mmboe in July 2025, which has now been revised to a combined recoverable volume of 96–134 mmboe.

Partnerships and Collaboration

The Omega Alfa campaign spanned across Aker BP-operated production licenses: 873, 873 B, and 1249. The partnerships in these licenses include Equinor, Orlen Upstream Norway, and Petoro. Aker BP emphasized the importance of collaboration with its partners in achieving this significant discovery.

CEO Statement

Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Aker BP, expressed his excitement about the Omega Alfa discovery, calling it one of the largest commercial finds in Norway in a decade. He credited the success to the collaborative effort of the teams and alliance partners, highlighting the use of new exploration methods that pushed boundaries and unlocked the area’s potential.

Hersvik also mentioned that the Yggdrasil area is the largest field development project currently underway on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. With the plan for development and operation approved in 2023, Aker BP is on track to achieve its ambition of producing more than one billion barrels from the Yggdrasil area, with first oil expected in 2027.

Conclusion

The Omega Alfa discovery represents a significant milestone for Aker BP and adds to the growing resource base in the Yggdrasil area. With ambitions to further expand exploration and increase the resource base to over 1 billion barrels, this discovery serves as a crucial building block in achieving those goals.