Statoil: Johan Sverdrup Extends into PL 502 (Norway)

Statoil Johan Sverdrup Extends into PL 502 (Norway)

Statoil has completed appraisal well 16/5-3 together with partners Petoro and Det norske oljeselskap. The well confirms that the Johan Sverdrup field extends into production license 502 and proves a small additional upside to the field’s resources.

The discovery was proven by Lundin Norway AS in the autumn of 2010 in the central part of the North Sea. The reservoir is in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks. Well 16/5-3 was drilled about six kilometres south of well 16/2-15 and five kilometres southwest of well 16/5-2.

The objective of well 16/5-3 was to delineate the Johan Sverdrup discovery in Upper to Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks in an area not previously included as part of the discovery due to uncertainty regarding the scope of the reservoir. The well encountered a gross oil column of 13.5 metres in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks, of which about 12 metres were of good reservoir quality as expected. The oil/water contact was not encountered, but pressure readings show that the area is part of the Johan Sverdrup discovery.

“The new subsurface data we got from well 16/5-3 have a positive impact on our evaluation of further upside potential west of the current outline of the Johan Sverdrup field”, says Gro Haatvedt, Statoil’s senior vice president exploration Norway. “Later this year Statoil will drill an exploration well in the Cliffhanger prospect in PL265. This will be an important step to clarify and capture the full potential in the Johan Sverdrup area”.

Extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out. Three formation tests (mini-DST) have been carried out. They showed good to very good oil flow rates. The gas/oil ratio is 40.6 Sm3/Sm3 and the oil density is calculated at 0.81 g/cm3 in the reservoir.

The licensees in the Johan Sverdrup discovery have now started assessing various development solutions.

This is the first exploration well in production licence 502. The licence was awarded in APA 2008.

Appraisal well16/5-3 was drilled to a vertical depth of 1971 metres below the sea surface and was terminated in Triassic or Permian rocks. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned. Water depth is 108 metres.

The well was drilled by the Ocean Vanguard drilling rig, which will now proceed to drill appraisal well 16/2-17 for Statoil Petroleum AS in production licence 265 on the Johan Sverdrup discovery.

[mappress]

March 19, 2013