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Europe’s energy security is more important than ever. So is Norwegian gas.

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Suddenly energy security is on everyone’s lips. In an unpredictable and raipdly changing world, energy supplies that we used to take for granted are under threat, and leading experts are calling it “the biggest energy crisis in history.” What is Equinor doing in this situation?

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Farmers and transport workers across Europe have campaigned against rising energy prices resulting from the war in Iran.

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This is indeed the biggest crisis in history. If you combine this oil crisis with the gas crisis involving Russia, it’s already a huge crisis, but it’s not just oil and gas; it’s also fertilizers, petrochemicals, sulfur… pushing inflation worldwide… and this will slow growth.”
Fatih Birol. Photo: Colin Dobinson
Fatih Birol
Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), April 2026. Photo: Colin Dobinson, Equinor

100 million Europeans rely on us

100 million Europeans rely on Norwegian energy every day to keep their lights on and the wheels of industry turning — so any disruption is felt immediately.

Recent global unrest has served as a timely reminder the world’s energy balance is a fragile one. Risk premiums and energy security concerns have intensified, and prices have risen.

And with fuel prices fluctuating in the wake of global conflicts, the repercussions are already affecting consumers directly — with vociferous protests coming from transport workers and farmers.

As Europe works to balance security, affordability and emissions, we look at why the energy Norway provides is more important than ever.

Kontrollrom, Mongstad, OJB
Equinor control room for gas pipelines to Europe. Photo: Ole Jørgen Bratland, Equinor

Europeans use gas for ‘everything’

Piping gas to Europe
In Berlin, London and Warsaw, Europeans are turning up their heating for the winter — and in Equinor’s gas pipeline control rooms, computer screens glow with pressure readings and flow data. Norwegian gas hums through the pipelines on the seabed — an invisible but vital lifeline for millions of Europeans.

A natural gas flame
In the UK, 85 per cent of homes rely on gas for heating and cooking—around 25 million households.
Photo: Adobe Stock images

Limited use of domestic gas in Norway
“I don’t think we Norwegians really grasp how much gas is used in Europe. Here in Norway, we fire up our barbecues, grill a couple of burgers—and then turn the gas off again. And that’s it,” says Torgeir Sandøy Johannesen.

He is operations manager at Kollsnes, which along with Kårstø and Nyhamna and the LNG plant at Melkøya supplies large volumes of gas to the EU. In 2024, Norway supplied 118 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas—roughly 30 per cent of Europe’s imports. Equinor markets about two-thirds of those volumes. 

Torgeir Sandøy Johannessen
Torgeir Sandøy Johannesen began as an apprentice and is now Operations Manager at Kollsnes. He has worked for Equinor for more than 20 years. Photo: Andreas Kleiberg, for Equinor
Torgeir Sandøy Johannesen
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I don’t think we Norwegians fully grasp just how essential gas is in Europe
Torgeir Sandøy Johannessen
Operations manager at Kollsnes

“In other European countries, our gas is used to generate electricity, heat homes and to cook food, for industries and products we need. Europeans use gas in very differently from Norwegians,” says Torgeir.

Equinor’s plant at Kollsnes processes gas from the Troll, Fram, Visund and Kvitebjørn fields in the North Sea, purifying and drying the gas before exporting it at high pressure through subsea pipelines to the UK, Belgium, Poland, France and Germany. Several hundred employees work around the clock, safeguarding Europe’s energy security.

“I’m proud that Kollsnes has become such an important contributor to Europe’s energy security,” says Torgeir Sandøy Johannesen.

Photo: Jonathan Macedo, Unsplash

How does Europe use natural gas?

Natural gas quietly underpins everyday life across Europe — from heating homes to powering industry and keeping the lights on when renewables can’t.

  • Heating homes and buildings – Millions of households rely on gas for space heating and hot water
  • Electricity generation – Gas-fired power plants provide energy and stabilise the grid.
  • Heavy industry – Essential for high-temperature processes in sectors like steel, cement, glass and ceramics
  • Chemicals and fertiliser – Natural gas is a key raw material (feedstock) for producing ammonia, used to make fertiliser
  • Manufacturing and processing – Used widely in industries such as food production, paper, refining and petrochemicals
  • District heating systems – In many European cities, gas fuels central heating networks that supply entire neighbourhoods.

Kollsnes — vital for Europe

  • Kollsnes is an Equinor gas processing plant in Øygarden municipality, Western Norway
  • It’s one of Europe’s largest hubs for processing natural gas
  • Part of one of the largest value chains in Norway
  • Kollsnes receives gas from several major fields on the Norwegian continental shelf via pipeline
  • Kollsnes processes and dries gas before export to Europe
  • Important for energy supplies to the UK and EU
  • A central part of Norway’s role as a stable and reliable gas supplier to Europe.
Olav Aamlid Syversen
“Norway is the country that supplies the most gas to the EU. In challenging times, international cooperation is vital for energy security,” says Olav Aamlid Syversen, head of Equinor’s Brussels office. Photo: Hilde Collier

Energy security — a fragile balance in Europe

“In challenging times, international cooperation is vital for energy security,” says Olav Aamlid Syversen, head of Equinor’s Europe office in Brussels. In the spring of 2022, he witnessed Europe’s energy crisis at close quarters.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was an 88 percent reduction in supplies of Russian gas to Europe. And with roughly 60% of the EU’s primary energy consumption covered by imports, it was a wake-up call for many. 

Almost simultaneously, the Continent experienced ‘Dunkelflaute’—the German term for periods of low wind and solar output coinciding with high demand. Energy prices spiked.

“There were fears of rationing, blackouts, factory closures and recession—and households struggled to keep up with soaring heating bills. Countries could no longer rely on one of their main sources of gas, and it became clear to all that energy had been weaponised. Suddenly, energy security was as critical as defence itself,” he says.

What happens when energy security breaks down?

When energy supply falters, modern society stumbles with it. Digitalisation and deeper global integration have increased our risk. Energy has always powered production and transport, and now it underpins payment systems, data centres, logistics chains and communications infrastructure as well.

The vulnerability was starkly illustrated in April 2025, when a large-scale blackout affected Spain, Portugal, Andorra and parts of France. Payment systems failed. Public transport stopped. Traffic gridlocked. Perishable goods worth hundreds of millions were lost. It was a harsh reminder: energy security is not an option.

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Optimising the energy content of our gas

“As soon as we saw an energy crisis looming, we took steps to produce at full capacity,” Olav Aamlid Syversen.

“We also wanted to make sure that the gas delivered contained as much energy as possible. So instead of exporting propane and butane from Kårstø by tanker to the global market, we left these components in the pipeline gas. That meant every cubic metre of gas sent to Europe carried more energy than it normally would,” he explains.

Largest supplier to Europe
“Norway is now the largest energy supplier to Europe,” says Olav Aamlid Syversen. “That means we make a substantial contribution to the societies—and the hundreds of millions of people—who depend on stable energy.”

Photo: Helge Hansen

Balancing climate ambition with energy realities

“Europe’s climate agenda has long been viewed as the main driver of efforts to reduce fossil fuel use,” says Aamlid Syversen. “But repeated energy supply shocks in recent years have laid bare the complexity of the European energy system — its vulnerabilities, its dependencies, the challenge of mobilising investment at scale, and the difficulty of sustaining consistent policies over time.”

Todays’ global environment is a strong reminder of energy policy being about a best possible balance of security of supply, affordability, and sustainability, he explains. This is all the more important as Europe wants to improve its industrial autonomy, be a place for clean tech innovation and provide for prosperous opportunities for its citizens and businesses.

“The energy crisis has underlined just how critical energy security is. While many EU countries now recognize that cutting fossil fuel dependencies quickly may prove difficult, there is also a growing acceptance of Europe needing to boost home grown energy” he underlines.

“Equinor’s view on the need for boosting the longevity of oil and gas operations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf while at the same time continue profitable development of renewable energy at scale in select markets sits well with European energy realities and emerging policy adjustments” he concludes.

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We have to balance competing imperatives—and take our responsibility seriously
Olav Aamlid Syversen
Olav Aamlid Syversen
Head of Equinor’s Brussels office

“The energy crisis has underlined just how critical energy security is. Many EU countries now recognise that cutting natural gas use too quickly may prove difficult,” says Aamlid Syversen.

“When we develop renewable energy at scale in Equinor, we also have to account for the fact that the sun sets in the evening and winds can drop. Society cannot lose access to energy simply because it’s dark, or it’s a windless day. That’s how you end up with a ‘Dunkelflaute’ — and that’s not a sustainable situation.”

Multiple challenges in Europe

Today, Europe’s energy supplies are again under scrutiny. Constraints on shipping in the Middle East have disrupted oil and LNG flows, unsettling global supply–and-demand balances and pushing prices up. 

Historically, the Arabic Gulf has supplied ~40% of European diesel demand and ~60% of the jet fuel to Europe, and the Gulf’s infrastructure and shipping routes are also crucial to global supply and LNG flows, meaning that oil and gas from the Norwegian continental shelf — Europe’s key petroleum province — now matter more than ever.

Furthermore, the current situation coincides with a major turning point in European energy policy: the EU has agreed to permanently phase out Russian gas — LNG by the end of 2026; pipeline gas by late 2027 (see fact box below).

A modern LNG carrier, “Isabella”, owned by Maran Gas. Photo courtesy of Maran Gas
A modern LNG carrier, “Isabella”, owned by Maran Gas. Photo courtesy of Maran Gas

Europe’s resolve — the road to 2027

The European Union is now legally committed to phasing out Russian gas by late 2027. In short, this is no longer a political signal; it is law. Europe has drawn a line under Russian gas — and is working to secure the volumes it still needs while staying on track with climate goals.

Lipno solar, Poland
Photo: Ole Jørgen Bratland

Energy for Europe—and so much more

Meanwhile, the Kollsnes processing plant in Øygarden ensures that gas continues to flow from Norway to Europe.

“We deliver the energy that keeps Europe running—safely, reliably and with a long-term perspective,” says Torgeir Sandøy Johannesen. “And when you think about it, gas is far more than just energy. It’s a raw material in many of the products we depend on every day—from plastics and fertilisers to medicines, packaging, concrete and steel. These are the building blocks of modern society.”

“I do feel proud, actually,” he says. “Proud to be from Øygarden, and proud that this is Norway’s largest gas processing plant. Here we are on this little island community, providing such a significant share of the gas that’s essential to Europe. At full capacity, our production here at Kollsnes provides the energy equivalent of millions of households’ annual consumption,” he says. “I think that’s quite remarkable.”

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