courtesy StatoilHydro

Norway’s average oil production in July, the last month measured, was 2.23 million barrels per day, or up over June by 286,000 bpd despite production halts for modifications at major fields.

The partial closure of the 60,000 bpd Norne and 30,000 bpd Urd fields in July was offset by production increases and existing fields after a campaign of production-well drilling.

Though cheery, the numbers still show falling production, now accepted as the “beginning of the end” for Norway’s “oil adventure”, as the number of large oil finds fails to keep pace with the sold off volumes of today.

The country’s July oil production of a year ago was 2.27 MM bpd, or just under two percent more than numbers shown by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate this week.

Meanwhile, operator StatoilHydro, Total and Marathon Petroleum celebrated first oil from Vilje on 1 August 2008, production not included in the July totals from the NPD. Vilje’s 52 MM bbls are already adding 35,000 bpd to the oil-rich country’s barrel count.