The Heidrun oil and gas field, located off the coast of mid-Norway, marked 30 years of production in October.
Over its lifetime, the field has far exceeded expectations, producing more than 1.5 billion barrels of oil and gas — double the original estimate of 750 million barrels. At its peak, Heidrun delivered nearly 250,000 barrels per day, with a record of 270,854 barrels on Christmas Eve in 1996.
"It's been a while since we set the record, but we are still working to maintain production at the highest possible level," said Joint Venture Asset Manager POA Thomas Eide Maeland, who is ConocoPhillips' representative in the license. "There is still a lot of oil and gas in the area that can be produced."
Today, production averages around 60,000-65,000 barrels daily, with operations projected to continue for decades.
Recent upgrades, such as a new gas processing module installed in 2023, have improved efficiency and sustainability. Further area development is being evaluated to support long-term output.
"We have come a long way and are proud of what we have achieved at Heidrun," said David Hendicott, General Manager, Non-Operated & Strategic, Europe. "ConocoPhillips has contributed to pioneering technology development and significant value creation."
Economically, Heidrun has been a major contributor to Norway’s society. About 80% of its value has returned to the state through taxes and ownership, funding public services and the pension fund. The field has also created thousands of jobs and continues to focus on energy-efficient production.
The Heidrun platform is a remarkably solid construction of high quality that can last a long time. It has the capacity to handle both current and future production in the area.