Norway’s oil and gas production declined sharply in September, with natural gas output falling 12.6% from August, according to preliminary figures released by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. Total petroleum production averaged approximately 3.77 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, marking a 10.4% drop month-on-month and coming in 4% below the directorate’s official forecast.
The downturn arrives at a sensitive juncture for European energy markets. With the winter heating season approaching, Norway remains the continent’s largest supplier of pipeline natural gas, supplying roughly 30% of combined European Union and British gas demand following the sharp reduction in Russian pipeline deliveries.
Natural gas production averaged 298.4 million standard cubic meters per day in September, down from approximately 341.6 million cubic meters per day in August. This 43.2 million cubic meter daily drop pushed output 6.7% below the directorate’s forecast of 319.9 million cubic meters per day. Total gas sales reached roughly 9 billion cubic meters during the month, falling from 10.6 billion cubic meters in August.
The weaker output coincided with the final stages of Norway’s annual offshore maintenance season. In late August, pipeline operator Gassco warned that scheduled maintenance could temporarily reduce export capacity by about 20% leading up to the end of September. According to transparency data, the median aggregate capacity reduction across Norwegian fields and processing facilities was expected to hit roughly 71 million cubic meters per day.
While the maintenance program was designed to prepare infrastructure for the high-demand winter months, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate noted that its figures do not establish the exact proportion of the decline attributable to scheduled work versus other operational factors. Additional supply constraints also emerged at the Shell-operated Ormen Lange field, where an extended outage is expected to reduce gas deliveries by approximately 7.9 million cubic meters per day until February 1, 2027.
Crude oil production also weakened during September, averaging 1.73 million barrels per day. This represents a 7.7% decrease, or a loss of about 145,000 barrels per day compared to August, and puts output 8.4% below September 2025 levels. However, crude oil output managed to exceed the directorate’s monthly forecast by 0.7%. Total liquids production, including crude oil, natural gas liquids, and condensate, averaged about 1.90 million bpd, down 168,000 bpd from August.
Despite the September setbacks, Norway’s overall petroleum production remains ahead of last year’s pace. During the first nine months of 2026, cumulative production reached approximately 181.7 million standard cubic meters of oil equivalent, representing an increase of 5.1 million cubic meters, or 2.9%, compared to the same period in 2025. Furthermore, natural gas production in September remained 5.1% higher than in September 2025, indicating that the monthly decline does not signal a broader structural deterioration.
On October 1, Gassco confirmed that major scheduled maintenance activities had concluded, positioning the gas transportation system to meet winter demand. However, the ongoing outage at Ormen Lange demonstrates how individual field disruptions can continue to impact supplies even after planned maintenance ends.
Looking beyond the immediate winter outlook, Norway faces the broader challenge of managing mature producing fields where natural reservoir declines must be offset by additional drilling and new developments. Sustaining production will require continued investment to maintain the country’s role as a primary pillar of European energy security.
