Aker BP ASA has completed the Omega Alfa exploration campaign in the Norwegian North Sea and said a ‘significant’ commercial oil discovery adds ‘substantial’ new resources to the Yggdrasil area.
"Omega Alfa is among the largest commercial discoveries in Norway in a decade,” said Karl Johnny Hersvik, chief executive officer, in a release Aug. 21. He said the discovery builds on momentum from the oil discovery at East Frigg in 2023 and moves the company closer to its aim of producing more than 1 billion bbl from the Yggdrasil area.
In its release, the operator said horizontal drilling “enabled the collection of an unprecedented amount of high-quality reservoir data” that “significantly reduced subsurface uncertainty and allows [the company] to rapidly advance into concept studies to determine the optimal tie-back solution to Yggdrasil.”
Company executives, on an earnings call July 15, released initial details of the discovery and its significance, pointing, too, to similarities to East Frigg.
"This well is remarkable, not only because we have discovered oil...but because we are breaking new ground in how we explore," Hersvik told participants.
"Omega Alfa is pushing the frontiers of what is technically possible, using advanced geosteering to drill ultra-long, high-precision horizontal sections with unprecedented speeds. This enable us to map the subsurface with high accuracy and pinpoint oil accumulations with confidence," he continued.
Geologically, Hersvik said at the time, the setting "resembles the East Frigg discovery, with thin oil zones sealed beneath a shale layer that effectively traps the hydrocarbons."
Drilling operation details
The Omega Alfa exploration campaign had five exploration targets – Omega, Alfa, Alfa South, Sigma NE, and Pi – through a multilateral well located west of Yggdrasil.
In July, Aker BP preliminarily reported a discovery of 20–40 MMboe from two of the targets. Following the completion of the campaign, the combined recoverable volumes have increased to 96–134 MMboe.
Drilling operations began in early May using the Deepsea Stavanger rig. Over a 3-month period, Aker BP drilled a total of 45,000 m, including 40,000 m in reservoir sections, which included the three of the longest well branches ever drilled on the Norwegian continental shelf, with the longest branch reaching 10,666 m, the company said.
The Yggdrasil field Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) was approved by Norwegian authorities in 2023. First oil is expected in 2027.
The Omega Alfa campaign was conducted across production licenses 873, 873 B, and 1249, all operated by Aker BP. In licenses 873 and 873 B, the partnership consists of Aker BP (47.7%), Equinor (40%), and Orlen Upstream Norway (12.3%). In license 1249, the partners are Aker BP (38.16%), Equinor (32%), Petoro (20%), and Orlen Upstream Norway (9.84%).
