Equinor wildcat strikes oil and gas in North Sea

Norway

STAVANGER, February 17, 2026 – Equinor and partners Petoro and OMV have discovered oil and gas in the Granat prospect near the Gullfaks field in the North Sea, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate announced on Monday.

The partners drilled two wildcats, 33/12-N-3 HH in production licence 277 and 33/12-N-3 GH in adjacent production licence 152, in connection with an oil development well in production licence 152. 33/12-N-3 HH yielded the discovery, while 33/12-N-3 GH was dry.

Preliminary results indicate the size of the find to be between 200,000 and 600,000 cubic metres (7.1 and 21.2 mcf) of recoverable oil equivalent, or about 1.3 million-3.8 million boe. Equinor and partners are evaluating a tie-back to existing infrastructure in the Gullfaks area.

The drilling was carried out from production licence 050 using the Askeladden rig.

Equinor is the operator of license 277 with a 51% stake. Petoro, which manages the Norwegian state’s holdings in oil and gasfield licences in the Norwegian continental shelf, holds 35% and OMV Norway holds the remaining 19%.

Photo of Gullfaks B by Ole Jørgen Bratland / © Equinor