Shell quiet about big Norway gas discovery

Newspapers and agencies reported in early June that Shell has discovered a large gas field in the Norwegian Sea, but the company itself was saying nothing. The rig Liev Eriksson has been drilling an appraisal well in the Gro field, about 217 miles off the coast of Norway. Before the drilling, Shell indicated that gas resources worth up to $154 billion could be hidden in the reservoir, according to the Norwegian media.

“Currently we are not commenting,” a Shell spokesman told Petroleum News by e-mail. Shell is the operator and owns 60 percent of the Gro license, with StatoilHydro owning the remaining share. The Gro field is on the same latitude as the Arctic Circle, but has a relatively mild climate.

—Sarah Hurst