Statoil SA has a "promising" discovery on the Falk structure northeast of its Norwegian North Sea Norne field, although the company said the size of the find remains "uncertain."
Exploration well 6608/11-2, drilled from the West Navion drillship in 350 m of water, was terminated 2,200 m below sea level. Statoil said the well proved oil in early Jurassic sands.
A number of "promising" prospects have been identified in the area around Falk, Roger Johansen, Sector Manager for Exploration in the Nordland area of the Norwegian Sea, adding that the well gave Statoil reason for "optimism about structures north and east of Falk."
Through the well, Statoil had hoped to firm up a connection between the Falk area and its earlier Svale discovery to the south (OGJ Online, Nov. 1, 2000).
"We believe there may be a link," said Johansen, "but a delineation well must be drilled before we can establish this."
Johansen said logging and core sampling are now underway to analyze the find, but because the "data appears to be insufficient," the Falk licensees have decided against a production test.