Equinor Energy AS has plugged Barents Sea wildcat well 7322/6-1 S. The well, about 320 km north of Hammerfest and 45 km northwest of the 7324/8-1 (Wisting) oil discovery, is dry. Water depth at the site is 439 m.
The exploration well, the first in production license 722, was drilled by the Deepsea Nordkapp drilling facility to vertical and measured depths of 3,550 m and 3,817 m below sea level, respectively. It was terminated in the lower part of the Ørn formation in the Upper Carboniferous.
The target was to prove petroleum in Middle and Upper Triassic reservoir rocks (Snadd formation) and in upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian reservoir rocks (Ørn formation).
The well encountered two sandstone intervals in the Snadd formation, measuring 12 m and 23 m, with poor to moderate reservoir quality. In the Ørn formation, the well encountered carbonate rocks (dolomites) over an interval of nearly 250 m, with poor to moderate reservoir quality. In the Realgrunnen subgroup (Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic age), the well encountered about 45 m of sandstone, presumably with moderate to good reservoir quality.
The uppermost sandstone interval in Snadd formation contains traces of oil, and the well is classified as dry.
Data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.
Deepsea Nordkapp will now drill wildcat well 7234/6-1 in PL 858 in the Barents Sea for Aker BP ASA.
Equinor is operator at PL 722 (45%) with partners Aker BP ASA (20%), Lundin Energy Norway AS (20%), and Sval Energi AS (15%).