Faroe Petroleum Finds Gas at Solberg Well

Faroe Petroleum, an independent oil and gas company focusing principally on exploration, appraisal and production opportunities in Norway, the Atlantic margin and the North Sea, announced a gas and condensate discovery in the Solberg well in the Norwegian Sea (Faroe 20%). 

The Solberg well 6407/1-7 commenced in February 2014 to assess the lateral extent and size of the Lower Cretaceous Rodriguez discovery announced by Faroe in January 2013.  The Solberg well targeted strong 3D seismic amplitudes which were assessed to be associated with lateral improvement in reservoir quality and thickness.

The well was drilled to a total depth of 3,345 metres below sea level.  The well encountered a 12 metre net pay interval of similar fluids to those encountered in the Rodriguez well, in two sandstone intervals and in better reservoir quality than expected.  The gross interval encountered was 16 metres.  The subsequent down-dip sidetrack 6407/1-7A was drilled to the northeast to a total depth of 3,311 metres below sea level, and encountered two sandstone intervals with total net vertical thickness of seven metres in a gross reservoir section of 13 metres.

The well has confirmed the play model and that 3D seismic amplitude can be used to identify pay in lower Cretaceous sands in this area, in which Faroe holds a number of licences, containing several Cretaceous targets.  While the reservoir thicknesses encountered both in the main well and in the sidetrack were somewhat thinner than the pre-drill expectation, the reservoir quality was better than expected.

Although Solberg and Rodriguez form part of one and the same reservoir channel system, pressure measurements from the gas- and condensate-filled channels in Rodriguez and Solberg show a small pressure difference, indicating that the wells may not be in communication.  The reservoir channel systems encountered in both wells are however likely to extend northwards into the Milagro licence (Faroe 30%).  Following the Solberg results, the total volumetric potential across the licences will be evaluated to assess the commercial potential of the discovery prior to committing to any further appraisal drilling.

In August 2013, the Company announced a farm-down of its equity interest in the Solberg licence whereby Faroe retains 20% equity in exchange for a carry on costs.

The Solberg licence drilling activities were operated by Wintershall Norge AS (35%) using the Borgland Dolphin drilling rig with partners Centrica Resources Norge AS (20%), Moeco Oil & Gas Norge AS (15%) and Spike Exploration Holdings AS (10%).  The well has now been plugged and abandoned as planned.

Graham Stewart, Chief Executive of Faroe Petroleum, commented: “We are very pleased to announce the successful gas and condensate discovery on the Solberg prospect which has confirmed our exploration team’s play model and de-risked the potential for further Cretaceous fields in this area, identified through 3D seismic amplitude anomalies.  We will now work together with our licence partners to assess the total volumetric potential across Rodriguez, Solberg and Milagro to assess their combined commercial potential.”

“Together with our notable recent discoveries on Snilehorn and Pil, Faroe’s exploration successes provide clear vindication of our long-standing strategy to take material stakes in high-impact exploration prospects offering significant value to our shareholders. Elsewhere, drilling activities continue in our exploration and appraisal programme with the ongoing drilling of the Butch East exploration well (Faroe 15%), located adjacent to the Butch Main discovery (Faroe 15%) in the Norwegian North Sea, with results expected in the coming weeks.”