Aker BP ASA and partners will assess a minor Norwegian Sea oil and gas discovery regarding potential further delineation. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery at 0.6-1.9 million standard cu m recoverable oil equivalent, according to a June 1 release from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).
Wildcat well 2/8-19 was drilled by the Maersk Invincible drilling rig in production license (PL) 1085, about 10 km north of Valhall field and 270 km southwest of Lista in 69 m of water (OGJ Online, Apr. 20, 2022).
The well, the first in the license, was drilled to a vertical depth of 806 m subsea. It was terminated in the Nordland Group in the Pliocene.
The primary exploration target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in Lower Pliocene clinoforms (Nordland Group). The secondary target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in Middle Pliocene clinoforms (Nordland Group).
In the primary exploration target, the well encountered a 9-m oil column in a sandstone reservoir totaling 56 m in the Nordland Group. The oil column was in a reservoir with moderate to good reservoir quality. The oil-water contact was proven at 703 m subsea. Traces of petroleum were also observed in sandstone with moderate to poor reservoir quality deeper than the proven oil-water contact, NPD continued.
In the secondary exploration target, the well encountered a 15-m gas column in a sandstone reservoir. The reservoir totaled 68 m, and reservoir quality varied from good (top) to poor (bottom). The gas-water contact was proven 563 m subsea.
The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out. The well has been permanently plugged.
The drilling rig is now headed to Denmark for classification.
Aker BP is operator of the license with 55% interest. Partners are DNO Norge AS, 25%, and Petoro AS, 20%.
