Equinor completes Troll electrification but omits second Troll C export compressor
- TWEL has reduced Troll-area emissions by around 330,000 tonnes CO₂ per year, about 75% of the 2021 PDO target (440,000 tCO₂/yr).
- The partnership will complete the project after commissioning the first electric export compressor on Troll C and will not install the second electric export compressor originally planned in the 2021 PDO.
- Installing the second compressor would have required up to 21 months of reduced Troll C production; the compressor would only be needed until demand is expected to cease in the mid-2030s while Troll C is expected to operate until around 2050.
- The decision is expected to make around 2.3 billion standard cubic metres of additional gas available to the European market in 2027 and 2028, supporting energy security.
Project conclusion
The Troll West Electrification (TWEL) project will be completed after commissioning the first electric export compressor on Troll C; the second electric export compressor originally planned in the 2021 PDO will not be installed.
Rationale
The partnership’s decision follows a reassessment of assumptions used at sanction in 2021. Troll has produced at maximum capacity since 2023, increasing the value of available compressor capacity on Troll C. Installing the second compressor would have required extensive modifications and up to 21 months of reduced production.
Production and energy impact
By avoiding the second compressor and its associated outage, the partnership prioritises high and stable gas deliveries to Europe. The decision is expected to release about 2.3 billion standard cubic metres of additional gas to the European market in 2027 and 2028.
Emissions and history
Partial electrification of Troll B and Troll C has cut emissions from the Troll area by around 330,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, roughly 75% of the emission reductions planned in the PDO, returning area emissions to approximately the same level as in 1999.
Source: Equinor