Statoil, partners strike gas in Norwegian Sea

Norway’s Statoil said it has together with PL218 partners made a gas discovery in the Snefrid Nord prospect in the Norwegian Sea. 

The discovery is an important contribution to the Aasta Hansteen field development project and Polarled pipeline utilisation, Statoil said in a statement.

The Snefrid Nord discovery is located in the deep-water Vøring area in the immediate proximity of the three gas discoveries comprising the Aasta Hansteen field development: Luva, Haklang and Snefrid South.

The discovery well 6706/12-2, drilled by Transocean Spitsbergen, proved a 105-metre gas column in the Nise Formation. Statoil estimates the volumes in Snefrid Nord to be in the range of 31-57 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent (o.e.).

Statoil is drilling two exploration wells in the vicinity of Aasta Hansteen in 2015, with the aim of proving upside potential in the area. After completing Snefrid Nord, Transocean Spitsbergen will move to the neighbouring licence PL602 and drill an exploration well in the Roald Rygg prospect.

Statoil is operator of PL218 in the Norwegian Sea with an interest of 51%. The partners are Wintershall Norge AS (24%), OMV (Norge) AS (15%) and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS (10%).