Wintershall Dea Norge AS increased reserves after testing wildcat 6406/3-10 and drilling sidetrack appraisal 6406/3-10 A on the 6406/3-10 (Bergknapp) oil discovery in Norwegian Sea production license 836 S and will evaluate potential development options and consider tying the discovery into existing area infrastructure.
The Bergknapp discovery lies about 7 km west of Maria field and 200 km north of Kristiansund in 313 m of water.
Following the completion of the appraisal well, the size of the Garn and Tilje formation discoveries is estimated at 6.4-13.4 million cu m recoverable oil equivalent, whereas the Åre formation is estimated to hold an additional 2-8.9 million cu m recoverable oil equivalent.
Prior to the drilling the sidetrack, three formation tests on 6406/3-10 were conducted showing good-to-moderate flow properties. Maximum production rate from the lower part of the Tilje formation was 600 std cu m/d oil through a 36/64-in. choke. Maximum production rate from the upper part of the Tilje formation was 200 std cu m/d oil through a 26/64-in. choke. In the Garn formation, the maximum production rate was 80 std cu m/d oil through a 24/64-in. choke.
The exploration target was to delineate the oil discovery, and the secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in the deeper lying Åre formation from the early Jurassic.
The well encountered a 7-m oil column in the Garn formation, with sandstone layers totaling about 55 m with poor reservoir quality. Oil-water contact was not encountered. A 3-m oil column was encountered in the Ile formation, with sandstone layers totaling 24 m with poor reservoir quality. Oil-water contact was not encountered.
Two oil columns totaling about 77 m were encountered in the Tilje formation, with sandstone layers totaling about 61 m with poor-to-good reservoir quality. Oil-water contact was not encountered. The well also encountered about a 260-m gas column in the Åre formation, with sandstone layers of about 82 m with poor reservoir quality.
The sidetrack was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out. Both wells have been permanently plugged.
The Deepsea Aberdeen will move to the Wintershall Dea-operated Vega field in North Sea production license 090 C to drill development well 35/11-R-11 AH.
Wintershall Dea is operator of PL836S (40%) with partners Spirit Energy Norway AS (30%) and DNO Norge AS (30%).