Oil companies are investing in fast tracks to wind farms in the sea

The Norwegian government has identified two areas for offshore wind power, Sørlige Nordsjø II and Utsira Nord, and will auction off the right to build wind farms there.

But in mid-June, Equinor, Petoro, Total Energies, Shell and Conoco Phillips suddenly announced their plans for a park with floating wind power in a completely different place, a bit outside Bergen.

They have now applied for a permit for 1 GW of wind power near the platforms at the Troll and Oseberg oil and gas fields. But the park, which is called Trollvind, will also have an electrical connection to land. The plan is for the park to be ready as early as 2027.

Projects connected to offshore installations can be approved on conditions other than offshore wind farms connected to land. If the Norwegian government follows the Petroleum Act instead of the Marine Energy Act, Equinor can expand faster and without competition.

“Actors must be treated equally”

Teknisk Ukeblad has contacted several wind power players, who want to build wind power in the two state-designated wind power areas. The companies react to the fact that Equinor can gain access to a large area for offshore wind power without competition.

– The players must be treated equally, says Olav Rommetveit in the wind power company Zephyr to TU.

There are also fears of a scenario where “the winner takes everything”. If Equinor progresses quickly, the company and its subcontractors can seize a lot of technology and expertise.

It is also feared that Trollvind will seize supplier capacity, perhaps at the expense of those who will develop floating wind farms on Utsira Nord. Above all, it can create pressure on the manufacture of the submerged structures required for some concepts for floating wind power.

“Too early to say”

But State Secretary Elisabeth Sæther at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy puts her foot down and says that a possible wind power area at Trollfältet must be exposed to competition.

“We believe that the Marine Energy Act must fully form the basis for the outlined project,” she writes to TU.

The announcement from the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy probably means that Equinor’s plan for 1 GW of wind power by 2027 is in the offing. If the Marine Energy Act is the basis for the development in the area, an impact assessment must be made and tender criteria set for an open auction, which will then be carried out.

Is it realistic to expand 1 GW at Trollvind already in 2027, while following the routines for case handling?

“We assume that a proper case handling of the project will be carried out in accordance with the Marine Energy Act. How long this will take depends on several factors, including how much knowledge and data is available for the area in question. It is too early to say whether the licensing process can be carried out within the schedule outlined by Equinor and partners, ”answers Elisabeth Sæther.

“We are just as optimistic today”

However, Equinor tells TU that the company has not asked for any special treatment for Trollvind. In its application, the company requests a process in line with the Marine Energy Act.

Is it still possible to expand Trollvind before 2027?

– Yes, we are as optimistic today as last week with 2027. But it is a big job and we are in an early phase, says Equinor’s press spokesperson Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold.

“Troll wind is an idea at an early stage”

Both Equinor’s platforms and the onshore facility at Kollsnes, which will receive the electricity from Trollvind, are covered by the Petroleum Act. It enables the development of offshore wind power without impact assessment and exposure to competition.

Is the use of the Petroleum Act still relevant?

– We expect them to process our application in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. It is up to the authorities to clarify this. They do it now and come back to us when it is ready, says Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold.

Do you want to expand Trollvind regardless of the underlying legislation?

– Yes, all regulations are clarified by the ministry and we relate to that. Trollvind is an idea at an early stage. There is a big job to be done before a possible investment decision in 2023, says Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold.

“We call it greenwashing”

In 2020, the Storting decided to tighten the requirements for emission reductions from the Norwegian continental shelf from 40 to 50 percent by 2030. Therefore, oil and gas companies have begun to look for electricity to operate their facilities. However, the initiatives have been called greenwashing by critics.

“We call it greenwashing because we believe that the oil and gas industry should be phased out, not expanded, and since it should be phased out, it does not make sense to invest in marginal improvements,” Truls Gulowsen of Friends of the Earth Norway told Reuters earlier. .