Statoil strikes oil, gas in North Sea (Norway)

Statoil Petroleum AS, operator of the production licences in the Valemon Unit, has concluded the drilling of wildcat wells 34/10-54 S and 34/10-54 A in the Norwegian part of the North Sea, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has announced. The wells proved oil and gas.

The wells were drilled about six kilometres north of the Valemon field in the northern part of the North Sea.

The primary exploration target for the wells was to prove petroleum in a separate fault block in Middle and Lower Jurassic rocks (the Brent Group). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Lower Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Cook formation and the Statfjord group).

Well 34/10-54 S encountered a 74-metre gross gas column in the Tarbert and upper Ness formations in the Middle Jurassic, of which 20 metres in sandstone with poor to good reservoir quality. In the middle and lower Ness formation, a 45-metre oil column was encountered, of which 16 metres in sandstone with good reservoir quality. In the Etive formation in the Middle Jurassic, seven metres of sandstone with good reservoir quality was encountered, but this is aquiferous.

In the immediately underlying reservoir rocks, in the Rannoch formation in the Middle Jurassic, a 38-metre condensate column was encountered in poor-quality sandstone. In addition, condensate was encountered in Middle Jurassic sandstone with poor reservoir quality in the Cook formation.

Well 34/10-54 A encountered an approx. 100-metre gross gas column in sand of unspecified Jurassic Age and in the Brent Group, of which 40 metres in sandstone with poor reservoir quality. In the Nansen formation from the Lower Jurassic, a 38-metre gas column was encountered, of which 32 metres in sandstone with poor to good reservoir quality.

In the Eiriksson formation from the Lower Jurassic, a 77-metre gas column was encountered, of which 31 metres in sandstone with poor reservoir quality. Petroleum was also encountered in Middle Jurassic and Lower Jurassic sandstone with poor reservoir quality in the Cook and Raude formations, but it is currently unclear whether this is oil, condensate or gas. No petroleum/water contact was encountered in the wells.

The wells were not formation tested, but comprehensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out. Preliminary estimates of the total size of the discoveries are between 3 and 12 million Sm³ of recoverable oil equivalents. The Valemon Unit licensees will consider tying the discoveries in to the Valemon field.

“We are very satisfied with making a new discovery in the close proximity of the Valemon gas and condensate field currently under development, says Irene Rummelhoff, senior vice president exploration Norway in Statoil.

“By proving additional volumes in the area we increase the reserves base in the Valemon Unit area and add value to the Valemon field development.”

34/10-54 S and 34/10-54 A were drilled to vertical depths of 4229 and 4247 metres below the sea surface, respectively, and were terminated in the Burton formation and the Statfjord group in the Lower Jurassic, respectively. Water depth at the site is 140 metres. The wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned.

“We are very pleased with the results of the Valemon Nord wells, and will initiate feasibility studies to identify the best development solution for the discovery,” says Tor Madsen, vice president for field development in the western North Sea.

“In Valemon Nord we dealt with a complex and fragmented reservoir with varying pressures and high temperature, requiring extra focus on HSE. I am very pleased with having completed the operations with no serious incidents,” says Rummelhoff.

Wells 34/10-54 S and -54 A were drilled by the Transocean Leader drilling facility, which will now proceed to PL073 to drill production well 6407/1-A-3, where Statoil Petroleum AS is the operator.