OKEA ASA and its partners have made a promising petroleum discovery in the Knockando Fensfjord prospect, part of production licence (PL) 055, through development well 31/4‑A‑15 D drilled from the Brage installation in the Norwegian North Sea.
The find, while still undergoing assessment, could potentially add significant volumes of recoverable oil and gas resources to the mature Brage field, which has been producing for more than three decades.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the discovery could contribute between 500,000 and 1.5 million standard cubic metres (mscm) of oil equivalent if oil is confirmed to be present.
In the case of gas, preliminary estimates suggest a resource range of 400,000 to 900,000 mscm of oil equivalent.
OKEA noted that these figures remain subject to further evaluation as additional testing and analysis progress.
Located approximately 10 kilometres east of the Oseberg field in water depths of about 140 metres, the Brage field was first discovered in 1980 and began production in September 1993.
Over its life, Brage has seen several phases of redevelopment and infill drilling designed to maintain output and extend the field’s producing life.
The current discovery aligns with the operator’s broader strategy of extracting additional value from existing infrastructure through targeted near‑field exploration.
Geological data show that well 31/4‑A‑15 D intersected the lower Fensfjord Formation of Late Jurassic age before reaching its deeper Talisker target within the Middle Jurassic Brent Group.
A hydrocarbon column of 38.5 metres was encountered across multiple sandstone layers exhibiting moderate‑to‑good reservoir quality.
No clear petroleum‑water contact was detected, suggesting potential for hydrocarbons to extend beyond the penetrated section.
The well was drilled to a measured depth of 10,009 metres and a vertical depth of 2,309 metres below sea level, terminating in the Middle Jurassic Oseberg Formation.
According to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate, production from the Talisker section of the well began on 11 January 2026, contributing to existing output from the Brage facility.
OKEA highlighted that exploration activity around Brage has gained momentum following other recent finds in the area, including the Talisker Cook/Statfjord and Prince discoveries verified in 2025.
These results reinforce the company’s view that the Brage region still holds untapped potential despite its age and history of development.
Production licence PL 055 was originally awarded in 1978 during the fourth licensing round on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and remains active until 31 December 2040.
OKEA serves as operator with a 35.2 per cent interest, supported by Lime Petroleum (33.84 per cent), DNO (14.25 per cent), Petrolia NOCO (12.25 per cent), and M Vest Energy (4.44 per cent).
The consortium continues to invest in projects designed to optimise the existing Brage infrastructure and secure long‑term production.
In May 2024, OKEA awarded an integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract for its Bestla development project to the Subsea Integration Alliance — a collaboration between SLB OneSubsea and Subsea7.
The upcoming Knockando Fensfjord development could follow a similar integrated approach if commerciality is confirmed, potentially reinforcing OKEA’s position as a key mid‑cap operator in the Norwegian offshore sector.
