The 122 billion cubic meters (Bcm) of natural gas that Norway produced in 2022 is projected to continue at the same level for the “next four to five years,” a relief for Europe as it seeks to replace Russian gas, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).

“The disappearance of Russian gas on the European market led to greater demand for Norwegian gas, which caused Norway to become the largest supplier in Europe by the end of last year,” said NPD’s interim director general, Torgeir Stordal.

In a forecast released this week, Norway’s oil and gas production is expected to reach 4.12 million boe/d in 2023, up from 3.99 million boe/d in 2022. Oil production is expected to rise by 6.9% this year, while gas output is forecast to continue unchanged in...