Statoil ASA and PL272 partners have made a gas find in the Askja West prospect and an oil find in the Askja East prospect in the North Sea.
The exploration wells 30/11-9 S and 30/11-9 A are between the Oseberg and Frigg fields, 13 km southeast of the Statoil-operated Krafla-Krafla West discoveries that will be developed alongside Askja.
Main wellbore 30/11-9 S tested the Askja West prospect and proved a net gas column of 90 m in late and middle Jurassic rocks.
Sidetrack 30/11-9 A tested the Askja East prospect and proved a net oil column of 40 m in the same geological formations. The reservoir properties were as expected in both wells.
Statoil estimates total volumes of 19-44 million boe in Askja West and Askja East.
“This demonstrates once again that even the most mature parts of the NCS still have an exciting value creation potential,” stated May-Liss Hauknes, Statoil’s vice-president, exploration, North Sea.
“We are convinced that there are still attractive opportunities both in near-field exploration and in more material growth plays,” she said.
The wells are the second and third exploration wells in production license 272 awarded in the 2001 North Sea Awards (NST2001) in 2002.
Both wells were drilled by the Ocean Vanguard, which will now move to production license 628 in the North Sea to drill Statoil-operated well 25/9-4.
Statoil is operator of 30/11-9 S and 30/11-9 A with 50% interest, with Svenska Petroleum Exploration AS 25% and DNO ASA 25%.
