Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Statoil has discovered oil and gas with the fifth and final well of its campaign to prove more reserves in the Johan Castberg area of the Barents Sea.
The semisubmersibleWest Hercules drilled well 7220/7-3-S on the Drivis structure in 345 m (1,132 ft) of water in license PL532, 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the original Skrugard discovery well. Skrugard and Havis are the two main fields lined up for the Johan Castberg development.
The well proved a 68-m (223-ft) gross gas column in the Stø formation, and an 86-m (282-ft) gross oil column in the Stø and Nordmela formations. Statoil estimates recoverable volumes in the 44-63 MMboe range, of which 42-54 MMbbl could be oil.
After P&A’ing the well,West Hercules will leave the Norwegian sector.
“Over the past year we have made a significant exploration effort in theJohan Castberg area. Five wells have been drilled back-to-back, giving us important subsurface information and a good understanding of the total resource base in the area,” said Irene Rummelhoff, Statoil’s senior vice president for exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf. “We are certainly glad to have an oil discovery in Drivis. However, the exploration program as a whole has not delivered on volume expectations. Out of the five wells drilled only two have resulted in oil discoveries.”
Partners in the license are Eni Norge and Petoro.
05/02/2014
