Norwegian Energy Giant Equinor Sounds Alarm About Unknown Drones Over Key North Sea Oil Fields

Norway has been a significant player on both the global crude and natural gas markets, responsible for up to a quarter of the EU's and UK's demand. It has gained further importance during Europe's rocketing energy crisis, having seen revenues rise fourfold earlier this summer.

Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor has sounded the alarm about unknown drone activity around at least three of the company's platforms in the North Sea.

The observations were reported to the police and Norway's Petroleum Safety Authority, yet the company remains tight-lipped about the occurrence.

“We have observed unidentified drones at several of our installations. The observations have been reported to the Norwegian authorities,” Equinor's press officer, Eskil Eriksen, told Norwegian news website AldriMer.no.

The South-West police district, which is responsible for investigating incidents and civil preparedness issues on the Norwegian continental shelf, confirmed that it is aware of the case.

“We are familiar with the fact that drones have been observed, and have good contact with the operator company and other government bodies about this. Otherwise, we have no comment at the present time,” police spokesman Amund Preede Revheim told AldriMer.no, adding that more details may emerge - possibly as early as next week.

According to the news outlet, drones have been seen around the Gullfaks field, the Johan Sverdrup field and the Snorre field some 140km off the Norwegian coast. Drones that operate this far out at sea are likely to have been sent up from boats, ships or naval vessels. This may suggest covert activity by a state, a Norwegian defense source told AldriMer.no. According to the outlet, there is a fear that the mapping activity may serve as preparation for sabotage or possible military action in the North Sea.

The Gullfaks field, as well as producing oil, supplies gas to the continent, a commodity that has gained great strategic importance as Europe's energy crisis balloons. As several European countries feel the pinch after the bloc decided to limit imports from Russia as part of its ill-advised sanctions against Moscow over the special operation in Ukraine, Norway's gas exports to the continent reached a record high earlier this summer, with gas revenues increasing fourfold on last year's figures.

At the same time, market demands and historically low levels of Norwegian hydropower plant reservoirs have pushed domestic power prices to record highs, prompting calls to restrict exports to Europe.

Norway has been an important player in both the global crude and natural gas markets, covering about 2 and 3 percent of global demand respectively. Norway ranks among the largest exporters of natural gas in the world, supplying between 20 and 25 percent of the EU's and UK's demand. Combined, oil and gas make up more than half of the total value of Norwegian exports.