Norway: Talisman Energy Completes Drilling of Appraisal Wells at Grevling Discovery

Talisman Energy Norge AS, operator of production licence 038D, has completed the drilling of appraisal wells 15/12-23 and 15/12-23 A at the 15/12-21 (Grevling) oil discovery.

The discovery, which was proved in 2009 in reservoir rocks of the middle Jurassic (the Hugin and Sleipner formations) and the upper Triassic (the Skagerrak formation), is located about 16 kilometres north of the Varg field in the North Sea. Before the drilling of appraisal wells 15/12-23 and 15/12-23 A, the operator estimated the resources of the discovery to be between 6 and 21 million Sm3 recoverable oil.

The purpose of the wells was to delineate the 15/12-21 discovery. Well 15/12-23 was drilled to the south of the discovery, it found oil in a 262 meter column in the Sleipner and Skagerrak formations, without encountering the oil-water contact. The reservoir quality was as expected.

Well 15/12-23 A was then drilled further west in the structure, it found a 68 metre oil column with reservoir rocks and reservoir quality as expected, and the discovery was further delineated.

Well 15/12-23 was formation tested. The average production rate was 83 Sm3 oil per flow day through a 16/64 inch nozzle.

Preliminary estimates as to the size of the discovery are between 6 and 15 million Sm3 recoverable oil.

The licensees in production licence 038D will consider possible development solutions.

These are the third and fourth exploration wells in production licence 038D. The licence was awarded in the 20th licensing round on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

The 15/12-23 and 15/12-23 A delineation wells were drilled to respective vertical depths of 3 452 metres and 3 327 metres below the surface, and they were completed in the upper Triassic of the Skagerrak formation.

The water depth at the site is 85 metres. The wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned.

The wells were drilled by the drilling facility Transocean Winner, which will proceed to production licence 501 in the North Sea to drill wildcat well 16/2-6, where Lundin is the operator.

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Source: NorwegianPetroleumDirectorate,July 20, 2010