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Onshore facilities

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Our refinery, our processing plants and terminals transform crude oil and natural gas into everyday commodities such as petrol, diesel, heating oil and consumer-ready natural gas.

A reliable value chain is essential to provide oil and gas consumers with the long-term energy security that underpins economic growth. These facilities play a key role in keeping the wheels of society turning.

Turning natural resources into products

Our refinery, processing plants and terminals play a key role in the transport and treatment of oil and gas.

Most of our products are exported to continental Europe, but we also export to North America and Asia. The products are used as fuel for transport, for heating, for electricity generation and as industrial feedstock.

Flexibility in the timing and volume of crude oil shipments is particularly important when marketing crude oil beyond north-western Europe, and we achieve this through intermediate storage.

We continuously seek to improve the efficiency of our facilities. Our refinery at Mongstad has been extensively upgraded to remove polluting sulphurous components from cracker naphtha, one of the constituents of finished petrol, while our Tjeldbergodden plant is one of the world’s most energy-efficient methanol producers.

Gas storage in Aldbrough

The Aldbrough facility consists of nine underground caverns used to store natural gas.

The storage capacity is around 330 million cubic metres of gas. The caverns were formed using seawater to leach out salt deposits around two kilometres underground, and the facility has been in operation since 2012.

Aldbrough has the capacity to deliver gas to the National Transmission System at a rate of up to 40 mcm per day, equivalent to the average daily consumption of eight million UK homes, and the ability to have up to 30 mcm of gas per day injected. Aldbrough provides around 7% of the total gas storage capacity in the UK and around 25% of gas deliverability.

The Aldbrough facility is owned by SSE and Equinor (UK) Ltd, who hold two-thirds and one third respectively.

The Etzel gas facility—our gas store in Germany

Germany's increasing demand for gas in the 1980s lead to Norway and Germany signing new gas supply contracts, and the subsequent construction of the Etzel gas storage facility.

The Etzel Gas store comprises 19 caverns and storage capacity for gas has increased from around 500 million to over 1.2 billion standard cubic metres. Equinor Storage Deutschland is the operator of the storage system in its part of the facility.

Kollsnes processing plant

The processing plant at Kollsnes in Øygarden to the west of Bergen processes the gas from the Troll, Kvitebjørn, Visund and Fram fields. The plant can process up to 144.5 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of natural gas per day.

The plant at Kollsnes was opened in 1996 and plays an important role in exports of gas to Europe from the Norwegian continental shelf, with approximately 40% of all Norwegian gas export going via this facility.

Kårstø processing plant

The Kårstø processing plant in Nord-Rogaland is the largest of its kind in Europe. The plant plays a key role in the transport and processing of gas and condensate/light oil from major sites on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Around 30 fields are connected to Kårstø via pipelines, and millions of cubic metres of gas and condensate/light oil flow into the plant every day. There, the heavier components are separated out, while the rest, which is called dry gas or sales gas, is piped onwards to the continent.

Hammerfest LNG

Hammerfest LNG, outside Hammerfest in Finnmark county, is a facility that receives and processes natural gas from the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea.

The gas is conveyed in a 160 km gas pipeline to the facility, which became operational in the autumn of 2007. Equinor was the operator during the development phase and now has operational responsibility for the facility.

Mongstad

The first part of the refinery at Mongstad in Nordhordland was put into operations in 1975. The refinery has a process capasity of 12 million tonnes of crude oil per year.

Nyhamna

Nyhamna in Aukra municipality in Møre and Romsdal is one of Northern Europe's largest gas terminals and the terminal for gas from Ormen Lange. The processing plant supplies gas to Great Britain and other countries in Europe.

The Ormen Lange field is the second-largest gas field to be discovered and commissioned off the Norwegian coast on the Norwegian continental shelf. The field is located 140 km north-west of Kristiansund, just outside the edge of the Storegga slide in the Norwegian Sea. The reservoir is about 2,000 metres below the seabed.

The Sture terminal

The Sture terminal in the Municipality of Øygarden in Vestland is a major tanker port for crude oil.

Oseberg Transportation System (OTS) is a comprehensive system that started up in 1988 for transport of Oseberg crude oil to the Sture terminal for further handling and offloading into crude oil tankers.

Tjeldbergodden industrial facility

The Tjeldbergodden industrial facility at Nordmøre comprises three plants; a methanol plant, a gas receiving terminal and an air separation plant. The facility officially opened in June 1997.

The methanol plant is the largest in Europe, and when it was first opened, it was the first time natural gas had been used on a large scale for industrial production in Norway. The production capacity of the methanol plant is around 900,000 tonnes of methanol per year, and gas from the Heidrun field on Haltenbanken is transported via the 250 km 16" Haltenpipe pipeline.

How to find us in Norway

Addresses to our offices and supply bases in Norway.

How to find us

Conditions of sales

General terms and conditions for sales of our products.

Getting ready for the energy transition

Equinor operates six onshore plants in Norway and two in Germany. Crude oil, gas and natural gas are being transformed into everyday commodities such as petrol, diesel, heating oil and consumer-ready natural gas. The facilities include one refinery, two gas processing plants, one methanol plant, one LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) plant, terminals, and gas storage facilities.

For decades, the plants have processed and exported energy to markets worldwide and served as cornerstone businesses in their communities. Energy is the heart and core of our land-based activities along the entire Norwegian coastline and will continue to be. To meet the energy transition and future demand, all plants are actively working with development plans that will take them into the low-carbon future: reducing emissions, providing energy security in Europe, and creating new industry.

Energy transition is happening, and the onshore plants have a significant role to play. We are transforming and positioning.

Christina Daniela Dreetz
New image to come

An industrial transformation

Aiming to extend the lifetime of operations and ensuring energy security in Europe, we seek solutions that will take our land-based industry further into the future. We are taking active steps to reduce emissions, and oil and gas will gradually be replaced by new products and new value chains. This transformation opens opportunities that gradually will replace existing industries with low-carbon industries.

Through industrial transformation, Equinor aims for significant emission reductions towards the future. The goal is to reduce emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and net zero by 2050.

The legacy from oil and gas has given us a unique starting point. We build on a platform of experience and expertise and maintain value creation by utilizing existing infrastructure to develop new value chains. This also brings new opportunities for land-based activity, opportunities which are now being explored further.

The most important contribution toward responsible energy transformation is to maintain safe and efficient operations with low emissions and to develop new value chains. Connection to existing infrastructure and access to markets in Europe makes onshore facilities an obvious player in the development of new industries.

Driving the transition through industrial cooperation

The energy transition is a global challenge that requires coordinated efforts from governments and industries across national borders. The plan that will shape the future of energy lies in further developing Norway as an industrial nation based on existing expertise and experience, cooperation, and partnerships. Norway energy hub sets direction for decarbonization of oil and gas, renewables, and low carbon solutions towards net zero in 2050.

More than 50 years of experience and expertise within HSE (Health Safety Environment), large, complex projects, cooperation with suppliers, marine operations, operations and maintenance, technology and innovation all join forces to give us a unique starting point to succeed in the energy transition. The measure of success is emission reduction, development of new value chains, jobs, technology, and innovation.

Authorities, partners, the supplier industry, employees, and academia need to work together to bring success to Norway as an energy nation. This requires openness, trust, and competition. Political ambitions and regulatory frameworks will help set the direction and pace of the transition.

Onshore plants are actively involved in large projects and energy efficiency measures aiming at reducing emissions by 2030. Several projects are immature, with ambitious schedules, and to make these projects commercially profitable we must make strategic choices and enter strategic partnership. And ambitious goals yield results.

Read more about our industrial energy plan

From Hammerfest to Kårstø

The road to CO2 emission reduction is paved with small and large energy efficiency measures and large projects, such as electrification, low carbon products and new value chains.

Energy management has the purpose of providing onshore facilities with optimal energy operations with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency measures in operation, maintenance and modifications save costs, increase revenues, and works for climate. The onshore plants in Norway have a target of a maximum of 1.7 million tons of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 (scope 1). This is 50% of the emissions from onshore facilities based on 2005 numbers.

In addition to daily efficiency measures, some large projects can make a major contribution to the Net Zero ambition towards 2050.

Electrification of the LNG plant at Melkøya
More power is a necessity to secure gas production at Melkøya past 2030. Moreover, electrification of the plant is one of the most extensive climate measures in Norway, reducing CO2 emissions by 850,000 tonnes per year.

The partnership thoroughly assessed alternatives to electrification before submitting the development plan to the authorities in December 2022. In August 2023, the Norwegian government gave permission for the project.

Snøhvit Future” is the largest industrial project in Northern Norway, with ambitions including continued activity and value creation towards 2050. The project cuts emissions and contributes to energy security in Europe. The Snøhvit partners have worked for more than nine years on studies, analyses, and project development prior to submitting the development plan to the authorities.

Tjeldbergodden towards a greener future
The methanol plant at Tjeldbergodden works for a future-oriented and long-term green development perspective. The development plan provides opportunities for a unique symbiosis between the oil and gas industry and biological production.

The development plan addresses emission reductions, low carbon feedstock, low carbon production and low carbon products. A long-term priority is to produce green methanol without emissions.

Climate ambitions, EU e-fuel regulations, frame conditions in Norway, access to grid/power and strategic collaboration are all factors driving the transition at Tjeldbergodden.

Transforming to a new industry at Mongstad
New value chains, further development of the product portfolio and reduced CO2 emissions from its own production can all help ensure a long lifetime for the refinery and further industrial development of the area.

Mongstad Refinery is facing a transition where product development, market development, possible decommissioning and future use of the industrial area are all relevant.

The consequences of high CO2 emissions and increased CO2 emission costs are among the biggest risk factors for the Mongstad plant. The refinery is now exploring and developing concrete solutions to meet new requirements and adapt to the market.

The ongoing Mongstad industrial transformation project has studied several different ways to reduce CO2 emissions, from customized production according to future market requirements to different options for capture and storage of emissions.

One of the options being considered is to convert the refinery's fuel gas to hydrogen and CO2. The hydrogen could be used as an energy source in the refinery, while the CO2 is transported and stored in Smeaheia.

Such a solution, replacing fuel gas in the refinery with hydrogen, has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from the refinery by more than 50% and is thus an important contribution to Equinor's 2030 ambition of CO2 reductions from operations.

The solution also means that low-carbon (blue) hydrogen can also be used for purposes other than reducing CO2 emissions from refinery operations and starting a gradual transformation to a low-carbon industry at Mongstad.

In parallel, Equinor is studying the possibility of large-scale low-carbon (blue) hydrogen production on the west coast of Norway for export to Europe. This project is assessing several possible locations, with Mongstad as one alternative.

If the project chooses Mongstad as the location for a large hydrogen plant, this plant will potentially also be used to decarbonise the refinery's fuel gas and supply hydrogen for the production of sustainable aviation fuel.

A wide range of low carbon solutions

Missing content

The energy trilemma

The importance of ensuring a good balance between available energy, affordable energy, and decarbonised energy challenges us all. The UN Sustainable Development Goals guide trade-offs in this balance.

We have a clear responsibility and high expectations to reduce emissions and to develop new energy solutions. At the same time, we need to provide energy and we need to continue to create value for local communities. Transforming today’s onshore plant operations requires a lot, both technically and cost-wise. The complex challenges concern safe energy operations, competitiveness, and sustainability.

Although significant emission cuts have already been made, annual emissions are 3.7 million tons of CO2. The major cuts will not come until closer to 2030 and the road ahead is still very demanding.

Energy security
As a long-term, reliable supplier of energy to Europe, Equinor plays a more important role than ever. Our most important contribution is to maintain safe, stable, and reliable gas exports. We have taken several measures to increase our gas exports in collaboration with partners, the Norwegian government, and the gas transportation system operator, Gassco

Power demand and supply: Lack of power, investments and building of grid dominates the energy transition debate. A lot of energy is required to replace fossil energy and to develop new value chains. This is particularly evident in the electrification topic.

Investment costs:
Investment in the energy sector is not commensurate with the world's energy needs. There is a need for a significant increase in investment, particularly in renewable energy. And it is urgent. Globally, there is a need to triple investments in renewable energy. This is what solves the climate crisis, and this is what solves the energy crisis. Low carbon technologies need to be further developed, to be upscaled and to reduce costs. Risk sharing is one of the aspects that needs to be discussed between developers, investors, and authorities.

Community engagement:
As cornerstone businesses in local communities, we need to create interest and support for what we do and why we need to do it. Electrification is one example that needs to be communicated clear and Appropriate. It relates to people's cost of living, and that is a challenge. The power supply situation and local industrial purposes could slow down the pace of transitioning. Questions around land use, protection of nature and value for community must be handled. Early engagement in an open and transparent way is important.

Sustainability
Our contribution to local value creation and development in the local communities where we operate, and about the climate footprint of our operations We work hard to achieve this, and ripple effect reports show us that we create huge value for society.

Collaboration is key to success
The whole industry needs to collaborate, also on the local level. Political ambitions and framework conditions need to be in place. Energy security aspect, cost of energy and sustainable solutions all need to have good answers. We need to have a broader conversation on how we can share that risk, between companies, between companies and states, and between nations.

Giving back to the community

The onshore facilities contributed in 2022 with 9,055 person-years in 2022, and with total goods and service deliveries of NOK 11.4 billion. Most were employed through the operation of Mongstad, with 3,548 person-years.

Equinor operates six land plants in Norway either as an operator or as a technical service provider with Gassco as operator. The onshore facilities are tasked with converting crude oil and natural gas into products such as petrol, diesel, heating oil and methanol.

The ripple effects from these land plants are significant both locally and nationally. There are significant deliveries to these facilities with major ripple effects in the form of jobs across the country. 90 percent of the deliveries of 11.4 billion were from Norwegian companies, which demonstrates the capacity, competence and competitiveness of the Norwegian oil and gas cluster.

The largest deliveries to the land plants came from suppliers from South-West Norway. The largest deliveries from Western Norway were within the industries services for extraction, construction and construction, agency and wholesale trade, waste management and technical consultants.

Several onshore plants can be defined as cornerstone companies in the local community.

Of the total person-years associated with the operation of the land plants, 2,119 person-years were employed in Equinor, and 2,814 person-years were employed in the supplier industry through the work with the direct deliveries of goods and services to the operation. The remaining 4,122 person-years are related to sub-supplies in several stages, in addition to person-years related to consumption.

The increase in deliveries to the land plants in the last couple of years is mainly due to extraordinary deliveries in connection with a fire at Snøhvit/HLNG in autumn 2020.

In the same period, there has been strong price growth, which also explains the increase in the cost picture for the land plants.

In total, Equinor's operations and exploration activities have very large employment effects. 63,000 person-years can be related to this activity, either through the fact that they are employed internally at Equinor (9,800), work in Norwegian supplier companies (20,900), or because of under-deliveries and consumption effects (32,300).