New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
North Sea electrification faces growing challenges as project pipeline shrinks
3/11/2026
News
Equinor has scaled back part of its Troll electrification project in Norway, while the UK’s North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) says offshore electrification will not be viable for all installations under current conditions.
Equinor and its partners in the Troll field licence have decided to complete the Troll West Electrification (TWEL) project without installing the second electric export compressor originally planned for the Troll C platform.
The partnership has notified the Norwegian Ministry of Energy that the additional compressor, included in the development plan approved in 2021, will not be installed.
Equinor said the decision reflects the importance of maintaining production capacity at Troll C. The Troll field has been producing at maximum capacity since 2023, and installing the second compressor would have required modifications that could have reduced Troll C production for up to 21 months.
Completing the project without the compressor is expected to make around 2.3bn m³ of additional gas available to the European market in 2027 and 2028.
NSTA warns of shrinking pipeline for offshore electrification projects
The development comes as a recent NSTA report highlights both the emissions-reduction potential of offshore electrification and the practical challenges affecting its deployment in UK waters.
In its latest Emissions monitoring report, the NSTA said the number of potential electrification projects has fallen by around 60% over the past year, contributing to a reduction in the sector’s potential emissions savings.
Its assessments have concluded that electrification is not currently considered reasonable for a number of assets, partly because of the timing of potential grid connections. Technical challenges associated with electrifying other installations have further reduced the number of potential projects.
The authority warned that further delays to approvals or infrastructure readiness could constrain both the pace and scale of electrification delivery.
The NSTA is currently stewarding seven electrification projects. Under its high-range scenario, assuming up to 80% of their potential benefits are realised, these could abate up to 6.2mn t CO2e between 2027 and 2050.
A mid-range scenario, assuming between 10% and 50% of the total potential benefits are achieved, puts savings at up to 3.6mn t CO2e. Under the low-range scenario, which assumes that projects already underway proceed alongside up to 10% of the remaining potential, savings could reach 0.7mn t CO2e.
The authority said operators should continue assessing alternative low-carbon power options where full-scale electrification is not practical. It noted that projects could be reassessed if there are improvements in economics, delivery confidence or expected first-power dates.
The report also recorded continued progress in reducing overall emissions from UK offshore oil and gas operations. Production emissions fell for a sixth consecutive year in 2025, declining by 37% since 2018. Gas flaring volumes fell by 60% over the same period.
