Equinor finds gas in Norwegian Sea well

Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor has found gas in the Ørn exploration well south-west of the Marulk field in the Norwegian Sea. 

Equinor received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority to drill the 6507/2-5 S exploration well in the Norwegian Sea using the West Phoenix drilling rig back in early June and a drilling permit for the well later that month.

Announcing the results of the well on Tuesday, Equinor said that recoverable resources are estimated at 8–14 million standard cubic meters of oil equivalent, corresponding to 50–88 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

“This is good news. The Ørn discovery proves that there are still opportunities on the Norwegian continental shelf and reconfirms the Norwegian Sea’s importance to our domestic activity,” said Nick Ashton, Equinor’s senior vice president for exploration in Norway and the UK.

Exploration well 6507/2-5 S in production license (PL) 942 was drilled around 12 kilometers south-west of the Marulk field, 38 kilometers south-west of the Norne field and 20 kilometers north-west of Skarv. The partnership will evaluate the discovery and clarify the need for delineation, Equinor said.

“The discovery follows several discoveries we have made in the same area during the past years, adding considerable volumes in an area with an already developed infrastructure. This gives us the opportunity to recover the resources profitably for both the licensees and society,” said Ashton.

In June, Equinor announced the Snadd Outer Outer/Black Vulture oil and gas discoveries south-west of the Norne field. Since 2017, Equinor has been operator of or partner in several discoveries in the Norwegian Sea totaling an estimated volume of 200-650 million boe.

The 6507/2-5 S is the first exploration well in PL942, which was included in the 2017 awards in predefined areas (APA). The licensees are Equinor (operator, 40%), Aker BP (30%), and Wellesley (30%).

Drilled by the West Phoenix drilling rig to a vertical depth of 4147 meters below sea level, the well was concluded in the Tilje formation in Early Jurassic rocks. Water depth in the area is 332 metres.

The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.

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