Wintershall Norge AS, operator of production licence 418, is about to complete drilling of appraisal well 35/9-8 on the 35/9-7 oil discovery (Skarfjell).
Appraisal well 35/9-8 was drilled 1.8 kilometres north of the 35/9-7 discovery well.
The 35/9-7 oil discovery was proven in 2012 in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks («intra Heather sandstones») about 16 kilometres southwest of the Gjøa field in the northeastern part of the North Sea. After drilling well 35/9-7, the resource estimate for the discovery was between 10 and 25 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil.
The objective of well 35/9-8 was to delineate the discovery. The well encountered an oil column of 64 metres (gross) in the Heather formation, with reservoir rocks and reservoir quality as expected. Preliminary estimation of the size of the discovery is between 10 and 25 million Sm3 of recoverable oil.
The oil/water contact was encountered. A successful formation test was completed. The maximum production rate from a 13-metre interval in the reservoir was 300 standard cubic metres (Sm3) oil and 53 400 Sm3 gas per flow day through a 24/64-inch nozzle opening. The licensees in production licence 418 (link to fact page) will consider producing the discovery together with other discoveries in the area of the Gjøa field, or as an independent development.
This is the second exploration well in production licence 418. The licence was awarded in APA 2006.
The appraisal well was drilled to a vertical depth of 3232 metres below the sea surface, and was terminated in the Middle Jurassic Rannoch formation. The water depth is 368 metres. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.
The well was drilled by Transocean Arctic, which will proceed to production licence 511 in the Norwegian Sea to drill wildcat well 6406/6-3 where Wintershall Norge AS is the operator.