Total Downgrades Prospects for Norvarg Gas Field

France’s Total does not see any commercial prospecst for the Norvarg gas field in the Norwegian Arctic, as the last resource estimates have been significantly reduced.  

According to Reuters, the resource estimate ranges between 5 and 25 billion cubic metres of gas. 

"The original range was 10 to 50 billion cubic metres of gas. We are at 50% below that," Martin Tiffen, managing director of Total in Norway, said in an interview to the news agency.

Det norske, partner in the licence 535 operated by Total, suggested in July that Total might have reduced its estimate on the field in the Barents Sea, saying that the first assessment of the appraisal well results indicated gas find smaller than earlier though.

The partners in the licence are Total E&P Norge (40% and operator), North Energy (20%), Ithaca Petroleum Norge (13%), Statoil (10%), Det norske (10%) and Rocksource Exploration Norway (7%).