Statoil finds oil near Johan Castberg in Barents Sea

The Statoil ASA-operated Kayak well in production license 532 of the Barents Sea found oil in two sandstone intervals with thicknesses of 27 m and 18 m, with moderate-to-poor reservoir quality in the upper part of the Kolje formation.

The 7219/9-2 well met the primary exploration target of proving petroleum in Early Cretaceous reservoir rocks. However, it failed to prove petroleum in the somewhat older early Cretaceous rocks while in the lower part of the Kolje formation.

Kayak was drilled by Songa Offshore’s Songa Enabler moored harsh-environment semisubmersible drilling rig to a TVD of 2,532 m and was terminated in the Sto formation in the Middle Jurassic. The well was drilled in 336 m of water 23 km southwest of Johan Castberg discovery well 7220/8-1 and 225 km northwest of Hammerfest, Norway.

Preliminary estimates of the discovery size show 100-180 million bbl of oil in place and 25-50 million bbl of oil recoverable, with further potential to be evaluated. Extensive data capture and fluid sampling has been conducted in the well. Tie-in of Kayak to the Johan Castberg discovery will be assessed (OGJ Online, Apr. 27, 2016).

“Efforts will be made to find a commercial solution for the Kayak discovery towards the Johan Castberg license and to bring out other similar prospects in the Barents Sea,” commented Jez Averty, Statoil senior vice-president for exploration, Norway and the UK.

“There may be additional resources in this structure, and we will now analyze the acquired data and consider possible appraisal of the discovery,” he added.

Statoil has 50% interest in PL532 alongside Eni SPA 30% and Petoro AS 20%. Kayak is the eighth exploration well on the license, which was awarded in Norway's 20th licensing round in 2009.

Songa Enabler will now return to PL 849 in the Barents Sea to complete drilling of the Blamann well, or 7121/8-1, where Statoil Petroleum AS is operator. Statoil also plans to begin work at Gemini North as early as July 10.