An unidentified drone was observed flying over the Equinor-operated Sleipner gas field in the North Sea on the evening of Sept. 29, according to the Norwegian police, as reported by local media outlet VG.
The incident comes amid heightened concerns across Europe over the presence of unauthorized drones near critical infrastructure, particularly in the wake of increased geopolitical tensions and frequent airspace violations involving Russia.
The drone was detected by employees at the offshore facility, police representative Roger Litlatun confirmed. There is currently no confirmed link between the drone and any state actor.
Authorities have launched an investigation and are analyzing intelligence data to determine the type and origin of the drone.
The Sleipner complex consists of several key gas and condensate fields — Sleipner Ost, Sleipner Vest, and the satellite fields Loke, Gungne, and Alfa Nord — located west of the coastal city of Egersund. The fields, discovered in 1984, play a central role in Norway’s offshore energy production.
Increased drone surveillance has been a concern since 2022, when Norwegian authorities deployed sensors near offshore platforms following a surge in drone activity. That year, unauthorized drones were reported at more than 10 oil and gas facilities across the country.
Similar drone sightings in recent weeks have disrupted operations at major transportation hubs, including Oslo Airport in Norway and Copenhagen Airport in Denmark, both of which were temporarily shut down as a precaution.
Earlier this month, Russian drones and aircraft violated the airspace of multiple NATO member states, escalating regional security concerns.
In early September, Polish forces shot down several Russian drones that had entered their airspace. A Russian drone was also detected over Romanian territory a few days later, though Bucharest opted not to engage it.
Three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets briefly entered Estonian airspace on Sept. 19, remaining there for 12 minutes before being intercepted by NATO forces.
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