Equinor Gears Up Visund Repairs as Danske Bank Raises Target and Morgan Stanley Cuts
Published on 11/07/2026 at 04:02 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Equinor is laying the groundwork to repair the Visund platform, still shut down after a fire, with gas output not expected back before 16 November, according to a Gassco notice cited by Reuters. That date is a working assumption and could slip. The Norwegian offshore safety regulator opened a probe on Wednesday into the blaze, which broke out in a room housing the emergency power switchgear. No one was hurt, and the platform was depressurised after the fire.
Visund stayed offline while repair preparations went ahead, Reuters reported. With no confirmed restart or crew-return date, the field's daily gas capacity of 13.2 million cubic metres — roughly 3.7% of Norway's export capacity — remains out of the market. Equinor holds a 53.2% stake. The crew still on board is handling logistics and securing the fire zone, after which repairs and restart preparations begin.
Analysts Pull in Opposite Directions
Danske Bank lifted its price target on Equinor to 407 Norwegian kroner from 360, Bloomberg News reported, while keeping its recommendation at "Hold." Morgan Stanley moved the other way, cutting the stock to "Underweight" from "Equal Weight" with a target of 375 kroner. No specific reason was given for the downgrade. The split leaves the higher target offset by a more cautious stance, with the timing of Visund's return the clearest operational swing factor.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Equinor?
Output Guidance Up, Payouts Confirmed
The operational setback comes against a stronger corporate backdrop. On 28 October Equinor raised its 2026 production growth forecast to around 4% from 3%. Third-quarter 2026 adjusted operating profit came in at USD 12.35 billion, with net income of USD 2.54 billion. The company declared a dividend of USD 0.39 per share for the quarter.
Its fourth buyback tranche for 2026, announced about two weeks ago, covers up to USD 1.125 million and includes shares repurchased from the Norwegian state. Market purchases within the tranche are capped at USD 371.3 million, with buying due to start on 29 October.
Exploration is adding to the resource base. Equinor put recoverable gas and condensate at the Afrodite discovery at 77–180 million barrels of oil equivalent, with appraisal drilling more than doubling the previous estimate.
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