Vår Energi ASA will evaluate appraisal well drilling after confirming an oil discovery 13 km northeast of Goliat field in Barents Sea production license (PL) 229 (OGJ Online, Feb. 9, 2023). A tie-back to the Goliat FPSO will be considered.
The 7122/8-1S Countach well was drilled to respective vertical and measured depths of 2,639 and 2,957 m subsea by the Transocean Enabler semisubmersible drilling rig. It was terminated in the Kobbe formation. Water depth at the site is 399 m.
The primary target was to prove petroleum in the Kobbe formation in Middle Triassic reservoir rocks. The secondary target was to prove petroleum in the Realgrunnen subgroup in Lower/Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks.
The well encountered an oil column of 13 m in the Realgrunnen subgroup in sandstone layers totaling 29 m with moderate to good reservoir quality. The oil-water contact was encountered at 1,650 m subsea.
In the Kobbe formation, the well encountered gas and oil columns of about 240 m, a total of 55 m of which were sandstone layers with poor to moderate reservoir quality. The oil-water contact was not encountered.
Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery in the tested segment at 0.5-2.1 million std cu m (3-13 million bbl) of total recoverable oil equivalents. The potential of the Countach prospect, in the undrilled segments, is estimated at up to 3.7 million std cu m (23 million bbl) of total recoverable oil equivalents.
Due to late arrival of the rig this winter, the company has not yet carried out the planned sidetrack as environmental drilling restrictions began Mar. 1, said Rune Oldervoll, executive vice-president, exploration and production. The company will continue to "explore the area around Goliat" at a later time, he continued.
Vår Energi is operator at PL 229 (65%) with partner Equinor Energy AS (35%).
