Maersk Oil starts drilling Xana well (Denmark)

Norwegian Energy Company (Noreco) has informed that drilling of the Xana exploration well in licence 9/95 on the Danish continental shelf has started.

Noreco is partner in the licence with an ownership of 20.1 per cent. The licence is located close to the gas discovery Svane, in the Danish sector of the North Sea. The well is being drilled by the jack-up drilling unit Noble Sam Turner.

Maersk Oil, the operator for the licence, recently reported that the jack-up Noble Sam Turner will be moved to licence 9/95 for the drilling of the Xana-1X HPHT exploration well after it has plugged and abandoned the exploration well Siah NE-1X in the Danish North Sea.

The main target is upper Jurassic sandstones, ca 4 600 metres below the seabed. Drilling time to target depth is estimated to approximately 140 days.

“While some have had their attention on the company’s financial challenges recently, our exploration and operations experts have focused on ongoing business and concentrated on preparations for this exploration well. They have done a good job,” says Tommy Sundt, CEO of Noreco.

According to the press release, Noreco estimates that chance of success of the Xana well is 27 per cent and that the prospect contains between 130 and 235 million barrels of oil equivalents gross, most of it gas. This would correspond to approximately 35 million barrels of oil equivalents net P50 to Noreco.

Maersk Oil owns 42.6 per cent, Noreco 20.1 per cent through the Danish subsidiary Noreco Oil Denmark A/S, DONG E&P owns 27.3 per cent while Danoil Exploration owns the remaining 10.0 per cent.

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