ORLEN Upstream Norway, together with its license partners, has started gas production from the Idun Nord field in the Norwegian Sea. Over the coming weeks, the company will bring two additional fields, Alve Nord and Ørn, on stream. All three fields are located in the Skarv area, one of ORLEN’s key production hubs in Norway. The three-field development is expected to add approximately 30 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) to ORLEN’s production portfolio, most of which is natural gas.

“By bringing the Idun Nord, Alve Nord and Ørn fields on stream, we are unlocking additional natural gas volumes for Poland, strengthening the energy security of the country and the wider region. Together, these three fields will provide ORLEN with more than 4 billion cubic meters of natural gas. This is particularly important at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, which underscore the importance of stable and diversified sources of supply. Thanks to the excellent cooperation with our partners, we have developed the three fields as part of an integrated project, reducing costs and shortening the schedule, with production starting one year earlier than originally planned. Under current circumstances, this is not only an operational success but also a significant reinforcement of security of supply for Poland and the wider region” – said Ireneusz Fąfara, President of the Management Board of ORLEN.

The Idun Nord, Alve Nord and Ørn fields are located in the Skarv area, one of ORLEN Upstream Norway’s key production hubs. Developing the fields as an integrated project enabled the use of shared infrastructure and created logistical and procurement synergies, contributing to stronger project economics. This was made possible through effective cooperation between the shareholders, despite the different ownership structures of the three fields.

The new assets have been tied back to the Skarv FPSO, the central production facility in the Skarv area. Leveraging existing infrastructure has reduced the project’s carbon footprint. As a result, production from the new fields is expected to achieve a carbon intensity of just 4.5 kg CO2 per boe. Bringing Idun Nord, Alve Nord and Ørn on stream will also maximize utilization of the FPSO's processing and export capacity, helping extend its operational life to at least 2040.

“By increasing utilization of the Skarv FPSO, we can develop production in Norway in a more cost- and environmentally efficient way. Bringing the Idun Nord, Alve Nord and Ørn fields on stream extends the production horizon of the Skarv area and will enable ORLEN to increase its output there from 3.3 million boe to 9 million boe in 2027, supporting the delivery of the ORLEN 2035 Strategy. This is also a good example of how existing infrastructure can be utilized more effectively without the need to build new facilities from scratch" – said Wiesław Prugar, Vice President of the Management Board of ORLEN for Upstream.

The three fields contain combined recoverable resources of 120 million boe on a gross basis, of which more than 30 million boe are attributable to ORLEN. Approximately 80 percent of these resources are natural gas. Ørn represents the largest contribution to ORLEN's resource base among the three developments, adding approx. 22 million boe net to the company. ORLEN Upstream Norway holds a 40 percent interest in the field, while Aker BP (operator) and Equinor each hold 30 percent.

In Idun Nord, ORLEN Upstream Norway holds an 11.9 percent interest. The remaining interests are held by Aker BP (operator, 23.8 percent), Equinor (36.2 percent) and Harbour Energy (28.1 percent). In Alve Nord, the partners are ORLEN Upstream Norway (11.9 percent), Aker BP (operator, 58.1 percent), Harbour Energy (20 percent) and JAPEX Norge (10 percent).

Production from the three fields will be brought on stream gradually to ensure safe operations. Once all three are in production, the number of producing fields in ORLEN’s portfolio on the Norwegian Continental Shelf will increase to 24.

In May this year, ORLEN Upstream Norway started production from the Eirin field in the North Sea.

Norway is one of Poland’s key sources of natural gas supply. Gas produced on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is transported to Poland via the Baltic Pipe pipeline. Last year, gas delivered through Baltic Pipe met more than 40 percent of Poland’s natural gas demand. A significant share of these volumes came from the ORLEN Group’s own fields in Norway. In 2025, ORLEN Upstream Norway produced approximately 4.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The company plans to further increase production through exploration and development of new fields, optimization of output from producing assets, as well as mergers and acquisitions.

Photo © Aker BP