Lundin Norway AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lundin Petroleum AB, has begun its 2016 exploration and appraisal campaign in the Loppa High area of the southern Barents Sea.
Comprising three wells to be drilled by the winterized Leiv Eirikssonsemisubmersible drilling rig, the campaign begins with the reentry of the Alta-3 appraisal well 7220/11-3A, which was drilled last year on the eastern flank of the Alta discovery (OGJ Online, Sept. 30, 2015).
Occurring on PL609, the objective of the reentry is to deepen the well to further assess the quality of the Permian carbonate reservoir section and to conduct a production test.
The original Alta-3 well encountered a gross hydrocarbon column of 120 m, and all three Alta wells drilled to date have proven pressure communication. The Alta discovery is estimated to contain gross contingent resources of 125-400 million boe.
Following completion of the Alta-3 well, the rig will move farther north on PL609 to reenter the suspended Neiden exploration well 7220/6-2 that was partially drilled last year.
The well was suspended immediately above the prognosed reservoir section last October because of winter restrictions for the Island Innovator drilling rig. The Neiden prospect is estimated to hold gross unrisked prospective resources of 204 million boe.
The third well to be drilled in the campaign is an exploration well targeting the Filicudi prospect on PL533 to the northwest of the Alta discovery and south of the Statoil ASA-operated Johan Castberg discovery.
The prospect is expected to contain Jurassic sandstone reservoir analogous to the Johan Castberg discovery. Filicudi is estimated to contain gross unrisked prospective resources of 258 million boe.
Lundin Norway is operator of both PL609 and PL533 with 40% and 35% working interest in the licenses, respectively. The Leiv Eiriksson rig has been contracted for three firm well slots with an additional six optional well slots.
