Statoil and Petoro revealed a modest but commercial discovery southwest of Gullfaks South field, the third discovery on the Gullfaks license in 2011.
The 34/10-52 A exploratory well and a sidetrack located 3 million to 9.5 million bbl of oil equivalent recoverable in 136 m of water. Tieback to Gullfaks facilities will expedite development, Statoil said.
The wells were intended to prove oil in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks of the Brent Group and whether communication exists with the producing structures in Gullfaks South field, Statoil said.
Oil and gas-bearing intervals were observed in the upper part of the Brent Group along both well paths, and a column 120 m thick with good reservoir quality was proven. No hydrocarbons were found in the lower Brent Group.
The wells have not been formation tested, but data were collected and cores taken to determine the hydrocarbon system and contacts.
The two other discoveries made this year on the Gullfaks license are Rutil and Opal. PL 050 licensees are Statoil operator with 70% and Petoro 30%.
The 34/10-52 A exploratory well went to 3,440 m true vertical depth subsea in the Middle Jurassic Drake formation. The 34/10-52 B sidetrack went to 3,580 m TVD in the Drake formation.
About the Author
Alan Petzet
Chief Editor Exploration
Alan Petzet is Chief Editor-Exploration of Oil & Gas Journal in Houston. He is editor of the Weekly E&D Newsletter, emailed to OGJ subscribers, and a regular contributor to the OGJ Online subscriber website.
Petzet joined OGJ in 1981 after 13 years in the Tulsa World business-oil department. He was named OGJ Exploration Editor in 1990. A native of Tulsa, he has a BA in journalism from the University of Tulsa.