Statoil reduced oil output from six of the fields it operates on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) for some periods of March. The group cut back production in line with the authorities' requirements for reductions in Norwegian oil output of 150,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of this year.
The Norwegian Sea's Norne field and the Statfjord East, Statfjord North, Gullfaks and Veslefrikk fields in the North Sea all operated at lower production during March. The North Sea's Glitne field was shut down for just over two days.
Production was normal on the other Statoil-operated oil fields. After 1 April all fields are again producing normally, while complying with the output limits set for the second quarter.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Energy usually issues production licences to each field on the NCS for a year at a time. Norway has made a commitment to produce no more than 3.02 million barrels per day on average in the first six months of this year. The production licences for the first and second quarters have been made on that basis.