Aker BP has concluded the Omega Alfa exploration campaign in the Norwegian North Sea with a major outcome, identifying a substantial oil discovery that adds considerable new resources to the Yggdrasil area. The recoverable reserves from the Omega Alfa oil discovery are estimated at between 96 and 134 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).
“Omega Alfa is among the largest commercial discoveries in Norway in a decade. Building on the momentum from the oil discovery at East Frigg in 2023, it marks a major step toward our ambition of producing more than one billion barrels from the Yggdrasil area. This is the result of a strong collaborative effort between our own teams and our alliance partners, and a testament to how new exploration methods push the boundaries. We look forward to unlocking even more of the potential in this prolific area,” says Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Aker BP.
The campaign consisted of five exploration targets, Omega, Alfa, Alfa South, Sigma NE, and Pi, accessed through a multilateral well positioned west of Yggdrasil. In July, Aker BP initially reported a discovery of 20–40 mmboe from two of these targets. With the campaign now complete, the combined recoverable resources have been increased upward to 96–134 mmboe, underlining the scale of the Omega Alfa oil discovery.
Drilling operations commenced in early May using the Deepsea Stavanger rig. Over a three-month period, the team drilled 45,000 meters, of which 40,000 metres were in reservoir sections. The work included three of the longest well branches ever drilled on the Norwegian continental shelf, with the longest single branch extending to 10,666 metres.
The horizontal drilling method allowed the collection of an exceptional volume of high-quality reservoir data. This has not only reduced subsurface uncertainty but also positioned the company to accelerate concept studies aimed at identifying the most effective tie-back solution to the Yggdrasil hub.
Yggdrasil is the biggest ongoing development project in the field on the Norwegian continental shelf. Its Development Plan and Operation (PDO) was approved by the Norwegian authorities in 2023, and the project is on track, with a first oil production expected in 2027. The proven resource base is at some 700 mmboe at present, but with an ambition to grow this number to more than one billion barrels by further exploration. The Omega Alfa oil discovery will be key in meeting this long-term energy goal.