• Notification of the order was made on 3 December 2025.
  • The order was issued on 19 December 2025.

From 24 March to 5 April 2022, we carried out an audit of technology development and the use of digital well planning, automated drilling and digital twins at Askepott on the Oseberg field.

Following the audit, Equinor was ordered to draw up criteria for the development, testing and use of the Novos ADC technology. At that time, Novos was in use on the Askepott, Askeladden, Deepsea Atlantic, Deepsea Aberdeen and Johan Sverdrup facilities.

Read more: Order to Equinor/KCA Deutag – Oseberg South/Askepott – technology development, implementation and use of digital well planning and automated drilling control

In the period follow the issue of the order (on 17 June 2022), meetings were held, notably on 04 January 2023, 24 March 2023 and 13 December 2023. There was also further follow-up through the submission of documentation about the case. In addition, on several occasions we asked Equinor to clarify the criteria to be used in the qualification, and describe how they are representative.

Through other follow-up activities, we became aware that Novos had been installed or taken into use, and was planned to be installed and taken into use, on several mobile facilities on assignment to Equinor. We accordingly called Equinor to a new follow-up meeting on 12 September 2025, where we asked them to report on the status of the technology qualification of Novos and goal achievement relative to the established qualification criteria.

During the meeting, it was confirmed that Novos has been installed and taken into use, and planned to be taken into use, on several facilities. We therefore asked Equinor whether the technology qualification of Novos had been completed, and what its TRL (Technology Readiness Level) was assessed to be. Equinor stated that they have chosen to keep Novos at TRL-4, “ready for first use”, and that the technology qualification is therefore unchanged from the time of the audit and order.

We consider that the use of Novos on additional facilities without the qualification having demonstrated that the regulatory requirements can be met, constitutes a serious breach of the regulations.

We have consequently issued Equinor with a new order.

Pursuant to the Framework Regulations, Section 69 concerning administrative decisions, we order Equinor to:

  1. Through the qualification, demonstrate that applicable requirements can be fulfilled by using Novos, with reference to the Facilities Regulations, section 9 concerning qualification and use of new technology and new methods, second paragraph, before Novos is taken into use on further facilities on assignment to Equinor, with reference to the Activities Regulations, section 25 concerning use of facilities and the Activities Regulations section 20, concerning start-up and operation of facilities, first paragraph.

The deadline for complying with the order is 1 June 2026.

We are to be notified when the order has been carried out.