Johan Sverdrup electrification
O&G ElectrificationOperationalNO300 MW80 kV200 km2018
Also known as:Power from shore (to Johan Sverdrup), Power from shore commences at Johan Sverdrup, Johan Sverdrup Power from Shore (I + II), Electrifying the Johan Sverdrup oil and gas field, Powering Johan Sverdrup from shore
Status:Operational
Capacity:100–300 MW
Type:og electrification
Expected Life:50 years
Website:www.equinor.com
The Johan Sverdrup electrification project is a domestic Norwegian power-from-shore HVDC link delivering onshore grid electricity to offshore installations on the Utsira High. Its primary purpose is to replace platform gas‑turbine generation, reduce CO2 emissions from oil and gas operations, and enable electrification of multiple fields in the area as...
Supply Chain (6)
Project Timeline (13)
4 Feb 2025Major Outage
On 4 February 2025, Johan Sverdrup and associated fields experienced a brief shutdown after power supply issues onshore disrupted the shore-based electrification system feeding the field, forcing production to be halted until the problem was resolved.[9]
4 Feb 2025System Restoration
Following an onshore power supply issue that briefly shut down Johan Sverdrup on 4 February 2025, Equinor restored power from shore the same day, allowing the field to resume operations and ramp back up towards full production by 5 February.[9]
28 Mar 2023Cable Installation Complete
By 28 March 2023, NKT had completed the installation of the high‑voltage power cable systems that connect six offshore platforms on the Utsira High, including Johan Sverdrup Phases 1 and 2, to onshore power supply via turnkey DC links from Johan Sverdrup and onward AC connections to Edvard Grieg, Gina Krog, Gudrun, Ivar Aasen and Sleipner, enabling large CO₂ emission reductions from the electrified fields.
15 Dec 2022Commercial Operations Full Power
On 15 December 2022 Equinor brought Johan Sverdrup Phase 2 on stream, including the second power‑from‑shore cable and associated facilities that extend the onshore HVDC supply from Haugsneset to the new P2 platform and the wider Utsira High area. From this date the electrification system operated at its full planned capacity, with one cable supplying the first four Johan Sverdrup platforms and the new cable supplying the fifth platform and other Utsira High installations, enabling large CO₂ emissions reductions estimated at around 1.2 million tonnes per year.
~Dec 2021Onss Commissioned
By the end of 2021, Aibel completed and delivered the second "Power from Shore II" onshore converter substation at Haugsneset, doubling the capacity of the original plant and securing expanded land-based power supply for the continued development of the Johan Sverdrup field and the wider Utsira formation.
~Sept 2019Onshore Construction Start
After the summer of 2019, Aibel commenced the main construction phase of the Power from Shore II onshore converter substation at Haugsneset, expanding the Johan Sverdrup power‑from‑shore plant to secure additional land‑based electricity supply for the further development of Johan Sverdrup and to establish the wider Utsira High area electrification solution.
9 Oct 2018First Power
On 9 October 2018 the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Kjell‑Børge Freiberg, officially switched on the Johan Sverdrup power‑from‑shore system, fully operationalising the HVDC link from the onshore converter station at Haugsneset near Kårstø to the Johan Sverdrup field centre. This energisation marked the start of long‑term electricity supply from shore (100 MW in Phase 1) to support commissioning and subsequent operation of the offshore installations with very low CO₂ emissions.
Jul 2018Other Permit Awarded
Licence: Approval of power-from-shore electrification plan for Johan Sverdrup
In July 2018, Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) approved the plan for supplying the Johan Sverdrup facilities with power from the onshore grid via an onshore converter station at Haugsneset and a subsea cable, authorising implementation of the power-from-shore electrification scheme.
9 May 2018Cable Installation Start
On 9 May 2018, the cable‑laying vessel NKT Victoria began installing nearly 200 km of high‑voltage DC power cables bundled with a fibre‑optic cable from the Johan Sverdrup onshore converter station at Haugsneset near Kårstø out to the Johan Sverdrup field centre in the North Sea, marking the start of subsea cable installation for the field’s power‑from‑shore electrification system.
6 Jul 2015Planning Consent Awarded
Authority: Olje- og energidepartementet (Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy) · Licence: Anleggskonsesjon under the Norwegian Energy Act for electrical installations supplying Johan Sverdrup phase 1 with power from shore
On 6 July 2015, the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (Olje- og energidepartementet) granted Equinor (then operator of Johan Sverdrup) a licence to build and operate the electrical facilities providing shore power for phase 1 of the Johan Sverdrup development. The consent, issued under the Norwegian Energy Act, covers two approximately 200 km 80 kV DC subsea cables from Haugsneset at the Kårstø industrial area to the Johan Sverdrup field centre, a converter station and landfall facilities at Haugsneset, expansion of the existing 300 kV switching station at Kårstø, and associated 300 kV onshore AC cable connections.