Offshore staff
KASSEL, Germany – Wintershall has upgraded reserves at the Skarfjell field in the Norwegian North Sea following a successful appraisal well.
The semisubmersibleTransocean Arctic drilled the Skarfjell South well and side track (35/9-10S and 35/9-10A) at a location 2 km (1.2 mi) southeast of the discovery well, which was drilled in 2012 on the northern part of the structure.
They proved oil and gas in two late-Jurassic upper and lower Intra-Heather sandstones, identified the presence of a gas cap, and reduced uncertainties over reservoir quality distribution.
“We are extremely pleased with the result…which has validated our geological model,” said Guy Oakes, the company’s exploration manager. “In fact, the reservoir quality exceeds our expectations and it appears we now have a connected continuous hydrocarbon accumulation in the north and southwest with very good reservoir quality.”
Wintershall now calculates potential resources at 120-230 MMboe, compared with its previous estimate of 60-120 MMboe. This comprises 10-23 MMcm of oil and condensate and 8-15 bcm of gas.
Skarfjell is 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of the GDF Suez-operatedGjøa platform and about 130 km (80.8 mi) northwest of Bergen.
Wintershall Norge Managing Director Bernd Schrimpf said further drilling was probably not needed, allowing evaluation to start for a development. This could be done jointly with other discoveries in the area, potentially as a tieback to the Gjøa platform or other nearby facility, or as a standalone development.
Transocean Arctic now heads north to production license 586 in the Norwegian Sea to drill wildcat well 6406/12-3 S for VNG Norge.
01/17/2014
