Orlen: Aphrodite Gas Field in North Sea Holds Twice More Than Thought

Orlen Upstream Norway has completed appraisal drilling at the Aphrodite field in the North Sea, and the results point to far larger reserves than expected. According to operator Equinor, recoverable resources now range from 77 to 180 million barrels of oil equivalent, with a mean estimate of 128 million.

Orlen Upstream Norway holds a 25 percent stake in the project, alongside Equinor, DNO and Wellesley Petroleum. That gives the Polish group more than 32 million barrels of oil equivalent, which means its share of the gas resources exceeds 4 billion cubic meters.

A major upgrade from February

When Orlen announced in February that it was acquiring its stake from Vår Energi, total recoverable resources were estimated at about 50 million barrels of oil equivalent, of which roughly 12 million belonged to Orlen. The new figures are therefore a clear improvement in the project's prospects.

Aphrodite is not a new discovery. The first well in the area was drilled nearly 20 years ago, but the data could not show whether production would be economically viable. The main problem was the reservoir's geology, notably low rock permeability that hinders gas flow. Advances in upstream technology led the partners to take another look and drill a new appraisal well, meant both to confirm additional volumes and to gather data for choosing the best development concept.

What comes next

The mean estimate could make Aphrodite larger than Omega Alfa, one of the biggest recent discoveries on the Norwegian shelf, whose mean recoverable resources are put at 115 million barrels. One development scenario under consideration is tying the field into the existing Kvitebjørn infrastructure, in which Orlen and Equinor already hold interests. Using existing installations could cut capital expenditure and bring production forward.

The area may also contain additional resources nearby, so starting production at Aphrodite could make it easier to develop further finds. Orlen is expanding elsewhere in Norway too: its portfolio includes Victoria, the country's largest undeveloped gas field, whose production potential is still being analyzed.