Equinor, the operator of the Johan Castberg field, has anchored the floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) unit at the field in in the Barents Sea, which is expected to start producing at the end of 2024.

The hook-up of the FPSO to the subsea facilities, preparing it for production start-up towards the end of the year, will now start, Equinor said.

Johan Castberg is a large oil field with estimated recoverable volumes of between 450 and 650 million barrels.

Equinor is the operator of the field with 50% stake, while Vår Energi holds 30% and Petoro 20% working interest.

Johan Castberg consists of the three discoveries Skrugard, Havis and Drivis, which were made between 2011 and 2013.

The field will produce for 30 years, and at its peak, Johan Castberg may produce 220,000 barrels per day.

The FPSO is 313 meters long, 55 meters wide and 120 meters high. Its design storage capacity is 1.1 million barrels of oil.

The field development concept includes 30 wells distributed across ten subsea templates and two satellites that will now be tied back to the FPSO. So far, 13 of these wells have been drilled, and drilling operations will continue into 2026.

"This is an important milestone for Equinor and its partners Vår Energi and Petoro.Johan Castberg strengthens Norway's role as a reliable, long-term energy supplier. The field will create great value for society, and long-term ripple effects and jobs. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed," said Trond Bokn, Equinor's senior vice president for project management control.

Johan Castberg is located 240 kilometers northwest of Hammerfest. The field has a supply and helicopter base in Hammerfest and an operations organization in Harstad.

"Johan Castberg is important for our development plans in Northern Norway. When the field comes on stream, a new province will be opened for oil recovery in the Barents Sea. This provides new opportunities for the exploration for and development of new discoveries in the area.

“Working with our partners we are already maturing five discoveries towards a possible tie-in to Johan Castberg," added Grete Birgitte Haaland, Equinor's senior vice president for Northern Norway.