Statoil drills dry hole in Norwegian Sea well

StatoilHydro ASA, operator of production license 286 in the Norwegian Sea, said it will plug and abandon wildcat well 6609/6-1 because it has not found any hydrocarbons with the well.

Nov. 6, 2007

Uchenna Izundu
International Editor

LONDON, Nov. 5 -- StatoilHydro ASA, operator of production license 286 in the Norwegian Sea, said it will plug and abandon wildcat well 6609/6-1 because it has not found any hydrocarbons with the well.

The company targeted the Snohetta prospect in Block 6609 on Nordlandsryggen, 100 km northwest of Norne field. "The primary target was to test the hydrocarbon potential in sandstone from the Cretaceous Age, while the secondary target was a potential prospect in the Eocene (Tertiary)," the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said.

The Polar Pioneer semisubmersible reached a TD of 2710 m and hit rocks from the Triassic Age. StatoilHydro met a thin layer of sandstone in the potential reservoir zones. This was the first well drilled in this production license, which was awarded in the 17th licensing round in 2002.

Polar Pioneer will now move to the Snohvit Unit to drill well 7120/8-4.

Licensees in production license 286 are StatoilHydro with 60% share, Eni Norge AS 20%, and Wintershall Norge AS 20%.

Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected]