Statoil ASA has added the Geitungen discovery on the Utsira High north of the Johan Sverdrup field development area in the North Sea offshore Norway.
The 16/2-12 exploratory well found a 35-m oil column in a high-quality Jurassic reservoir and proved a recoverable volume of 140-270 million bbl of oil equivalent. It also discovered oil in basement rocks.
The Geitungen well is 3 km north of the Johan Sverdrup discovery and was defined as a separate prospect on the PL 265 license. Well data indicate the probability of communication between the discoveries, and Geitungen will be included in the Johan Sverdrup development, Statoil said.
Statoil and Lundin Petroleum AB, which operates PL 501, are running an extensive appraisal program on both blocks. Statoil as preunit operator plans to communicate a volume range for the Johan Sverdrup pre-unit at a later stage. Lundin said Geitungen supports its view that more discoveries will be made in the region.
Gro Haatvedt, senior vice president exploration Norway in Statoil, said, “Statoil aims to capture the full potential in the greater Utsira high area … we secured new promising acreage both north and south of Johan Sverdrup. We are currently working to improve seismic imaging of the greater Utsira high and have ambitious drilling plans with about 8-12 wells scheduled for 2012-2014.”
Following completion of Well 16/2-12, the Ocean Vanguard semisubmersible will move to Johan Sverdrup to drill two appraisal wells in the central and southern parts of PL 265.
Well 16/2-12, eighth well in PL 265, went to 2,045 m true vertical depth in 115 m of water.
Statoil operates PL 265 with 40% interest. Petoro AS has 30%, Det norske oljeselskap ASA 20%, and Lundin Norway AS 10%.
