ORLEN Upstream Norway and Equinor have started production from a new field in the North Sea. At peak output, Eirin will supply ORLEN with 270 million cubic metres of cold gas annually. Production is carried out using installations powered by electricity from renewable energy sources.
“Gas produced on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is crucial for ensuring the energy security of Europe and Poland. Our presence in Norway is strategic and long-term. The start of production from the Eirin field strengthens ORLEN’s position in the region and confirms our determination and effectiveness in carrying out investments that develop the production potential of the Shelf. The gas we extract from Eirin is already flowing to Poland, strengthening the guarantee of reliable supplies for ORLEN customers despite the tense international situation,” said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN.
The Eirin field is located in the North Sea, around 250 km west of Stavanger. Its resources amount to 27.6 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 3 billion cubic metres of natural gas. ORLEN Upstream Norway holds a 41.3% stake in the field, which means that the resources attributable to the company amount to nearly 11.5 million barrels of oil equivalent, including more than 1.2 billion cubic metres of gas. The remaining shares are held by Equinor, which is the operator of the licence.
Under the development plan approved in January 2024, the production well at Eirin has been connected to the platform on the nearby Gina Krog field, in which ORLEN Upstream Norway is also a shareholder.
“In this case, the use of existing infrastructure means not only lower costs and a shorter investment timeline, but also additional gas volumes. According to the operator’s forecasts, connecting Eirin will allow us to extend the production period of Gina Krog by seven years and thereby increase the recovery rate of that field. This will make it possible to extract an additional 9.6 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 4 million barrels attributable to ORLEN. This is an excellent example of our efficiency in managing our asset portfolio in order to maximise its value,” said Wiesław Prugar, ORLEN Management Board Member for Upstream.
Production from Eirin via the Gina Krog platform means that output from the new field is powered mainly by energy from renewable sources. Since 2023, Gina Krog has been connected to the mainland by a subsea power cable, where around 90% of electricity is generated by hydropower plants and a further 8% by wind farms. As a result, emissions related to production from Eirin will amount to just 3 kilograms of CO₂ per barrel of oil equivalent. This is significantly below the average for the entire Norwegian Continental Shelf, which is 6.7 kg, and the global average of around 16 kilograms of CO₂ per barrel, according to the Offshore Norge Climate and Environmental Report 2025.
Gas produced from Eirin and Gina Krog is transported to the platform complex on the Sleipner field, where ORLEN also holds stakes. There, the gas is processed to meet commercial specifications and then sent to the exit point in Nybro, which connects the Norwegian transmission system with Denmark. From there, the gas is transported to Poland via the Baltic Pipe pipeline.
ORLEN Upstream Norway and Equinor assume that additional hydrocarbon resources may be located in the vicinity of Gina Krog and Eirin. For this reason, they plan to carry out further exploration work in the area in the coming years.
