Dry Well for Centrica in Norwegian Sea

Centrica Resources (Norge) AS, operator of production licence 477, is about to complete drilling of wildcat well 6506/11-9 S. The well was drilled about five kilometres east of the Morvin field and about five kilometres west of Åsgard (Smørbukk field) in the Norwegian Sea.

The primary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in Middle to Lower Jurassic reservoir rocks (Garn, Ile, Tofte and Tilje formations). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Cretaceous reservoir rocks (Lysing and Lange formations).

In the primary target, immobile oil was encountered in a gross column of 59 metres in the Garn formation and 10 metres in the Ile formation. In the secondary target, oil was encountered in thin sand layers in the Lysing formation and the middle part of the Lange formation. Extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.

A formation test has been carried out in the Garn formation. Flow of petroleum to the surface was not achieved. Several small-scale formation and pressure tests were carried out in the Garn, Ile, Tofte and Tilje formations. Several pressure points were taken, but do not provide a basis for interpretation of possible liquid contacts. However, a liquid sample in the Garn formation does indicate the presence of mobile petroleum. The well will be classified as dry.

The well is the first exploration well in production licence 477. The licence was awarded in APA 2007.

The well was drilled to a vertical depth and measured depth of 4954 and 5330 metres below the surface, respectively, and was terminated in the Åre formation in the Lower Jurassic.

Water depth at the site is 249 metres. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Well 6506/11-9 S was drilled by the West Alpha drilling facility which will now proceed to a shipyard in Ølen for upgrades, modifications and re-certifications.

[mappress]
Press Release, August 27, 2012