Lundin plugs dry well in Barents Sea

Lundin Petroleum has failed to unearth hydrocarbons at its exploration well 7130/4-1 on the Ørnen prospect in the Barents Sea, offshore Norway.

The well is located in PL708, on the eastern parts of the Finnmark Platform in the southern Barents Sea. According to Lunding, the well was dry and has been plugged and abandoned.

The main target consisting of Upper Permian spiculites and carbonates was encountered and cored, but the reservoir quality was poorer than expected. Sampling encountered only water with no indications of movable hydrocarbons.

The secondary target, Permo-Carboniferous carbonates, was encountered with minor hydrocarbon shows and poor reservoir characteristics.

Subsequently, the well was deepened into the third target, Lower Carboniferous sandstones (Soldogg Formation) encountering moderate to good sands with an uncommercial 5 metre gas column.
Extensive data acquisition and sampling was carried out including conventional coring and fluid sampling. Exploration well 7130/4-1 is the first well drilled in PL708. The well was drilled to a total depth of 3,160 meters below mean sea level in a water depth of 288 meters.

The well was drilled with the semi-submersible drilling unit Transocean Artic and will be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Lundin Norway is the operator of PL708 with a 40 percent working interest. The partners are Edison Norge with 20 percent, Lukoil Overseas North Shelf with 20 percent, Lime Petroleum Norway with 10 percent and North Energy with 10 percent.