Lundin Makes New Oil Discovery in Barents Sea

Lundin Makes New Oil Discovery in Barents Sea

Lundin Petroleum has announced the flow test rate of the previously announced Gohta discovery of approximately 4,300 barrels of oil per day (bopd). Gohta is Lundin Petroleum’s first oil discovery in the Barents Sea, offshore Norway.

The well 7120/1-3 operated by Lundin Petroleum was drilled on PL492 approximately 35 kilometres north of the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea. The well proved oil in contact with an overlying gas cap.

The purpose of the well was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in Triassic sandstone reservoirs and Permo-Carboniferous carbonate reservoir. In the carbonate reservoir the well found a 25 metres gross gas column above a 75 metres gross oil column in karstified and dolomitized limestone. The Triassic sandstone was water bearing.

A production test (DST) was performed to assess the quality of the carbonate reservoir. The DST produced a flow rate of approximately 4,300 bopd through a 44/64″ choke with a gas oil ratio of 1,040 standard cubic feet per barrel. The main flow of the reservoir was stable over 24 hours and the pressure buildup lasted 36 hours and did not show any barriers such as faults or significant reservoir characteristics variations. This is the first successful test of Permian carbonates reservoirs on the Norwegian shelf.

The DST result has confirmed good production properties of the reservoir. The preliminary evaluation of the gross recoverable oil and gas resources from the Gohta discovery is estimated at between 105 and 235 million barrels oil equivalent of which the oil resources are between 60 and 145 million barrels of oil and the gas resources are between 275 and 545 billion cubic feet of gas.

Ashley Heppenstall, President and CEO of Lundin Petroleum comments: “We have for a number of years believed in the oil potential of the Barents Sea and as such are extremely pleased to have made a significant oil discovery at Gohta. The discovery has proved the Permian carbonate play concept in the area and as well as delineating the discovery, we will now look to drill similar exploration prospects in adjoining licences where we have a significant acreage position.”

The results confirm for the first time oil and gas in a play model which so far has been unsuccessful on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

The well operation was performed by the semisubmersible rig Transocean Arctic. The water depth was 342 metres and the well was drilled to a depth of 2,515 metres below mean sea level.

Lundin Norway is operator for PL 492 with 40 percent interest. The partners are Det norske oljeselskap ASA with 40 percent interest and Noreco Norway AS with 20 percent interest.

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Press Release, October 02, 2013