Johan Sverdrup resource estimate unchanged after appraisal well drilled

Norway’s Statoil has completed drilling of an appraisal well on the Johan Sverdrup field in the Norwegian section of the North Sea.

The 16/2-22 S well, located at the field some 155 kilometers northwest from Karmøy, was drilled approximately two kilometers northwest of appraisal well 16/2-9 S.

The objective of the well was to prove petroleum in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Draupne formation) and to investigate pressure communication to the northern part of the Johan Sverdrup field.

The well encountered a total oil column of 16 meters, most likely in the Draupne formation, with alternating sandstone, siltstone, and claystone. The reservoir properties are moderate to poor, and they are not of the same quality as the main reservoir on Johan Sverdrup. The oil/water contact was not proven.

Based on preliminary calculations, the operator’s resource estimate for the field will not be changed. The licensees will assess the result of the well as regards a possible future development.

The field, which was proven in 2010, consists of reservoir rocks from the Upper Triassic to the Lower Cretaceous. Before well 16/2-22 S was drilled, the operator’s resource estimate for the field was 302 – 477 million standard cubic meters (Sm3) of recoverable oil.

The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out.

16/2-22 S is the 16th exploration well in production license 265 and the 31st on the Johan Sverdrup field. The license was awarded in the North Sea Awards in 2001.

Appraisal well 16/2-22 S was drilled to respective measured and vertical depths of 1963 and 1952 meters below the sea surface. The well was terminated in the granitic basement. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned. Water depth at the site is 115 meters.

The well was drilled by the Deepsea Atlantic semi-submersible drilling rig, which will now continue to drill development wells on the Johan Sverdrup field.

Johan Sverdrup is dubbed as the largest offshore development in Norway in the past three decades. The field is operated by Statoil with partners being Lundin Norway, Petoro, Aker BP, and Maersk Oil.

Phase one of Johan Sverdrup development will consist of four bridge-linked platforms, in addition to three subsea water injection templates. The planned production capacity of the first phase is 315 000 to 380 000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Earlier this week Statoil announced contract awards for the hook-up and commissioning works on the giant Johan Sverdrup field to three Norwegian companies – Aker Solutions, Aibel and Kvaerner.