Aker BP has proven gas in appraisal well 6507/2-7 S in the Norwegian Sea, 230 kilometres west of Sandnessjøen.
The well, situated around 12 kilometres west of the Skarv field, was drilled to confirm the size of the previous discoveries made in 2022 in 6507/2-6 (Storjo East and Kaneljo in Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoir rocks, respectively).
Preliminary estimates place the size of the discoveries between 2 and 8.7 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalent in the primary exploration target. This corresponds to around 13-55 million barrels of oil equivalent.
In the secondary exploration target, the preliminary estimate is between 1.3-1.8 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalent, which corresponds to around 8-12 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Aker BP is the operator of production licence 261 with Wintershall Dea(Harbour Energy) as the other licensee. The licensees will consider tying the discoveries back to existing infrastructure in the area.
Geological information
Before drilling well 6507/2-7 S, the operator’s resource estimate for the primary exploration target was between 2.6-10.3 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalent, while the secondary exploration target had estimated resources of 0.9-1.5 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalent.
The primary exploration target for well 6507/2-7 S was to prove gas in reservoir rocks in the Tilje Formation in the Lower Jurassic. The secondary exploration target was to prove gas in reservoir rocks in the Middle Jurassic (the Garn Formation) and in reservoir rocks in the Upper Cretaceous (Lysing Formation). In the primary exploration target, well 6507/2-7 S encountered gas in the Tilje Formation, which is 133 metres thick, 43 metres of which in sandstone rocks with moderate to poor reservoir quality. The gas/water contact was not encountered.
In the secondary exploration target in the Garn Formation, well 6507/2-7 S encountered a 30-metre gas column in sandstone rocks totalling around 14 metres with poor reservoir quality. In the other secondary exploration target, well 6507/2-7 S encountered a gas column of around 8 metres in the Lysing Formation in sandstone rocks totalling 65 metres with very good reservoir quality. The gas/water contacts were not encountered in any of the formations. Extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.
A successful production test was conducted in technical sidetrack 6507/2-7 S T2 in the upper part of the Tilje Formation. The maximum production rate was 300,000 Sm3 of gas per flow day through a 20/64-inch nozzle opening.
Appraisal well 6507/2-7 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 5098 metres and a measured depth of 5140 metres below sea level, and was terminated in the Åre Formation from the Lower Jurassic age.
Water depth at the site is 340 metres. Appraisal well 6507/2-7 S has been temporarily plugged.
The appraisal well was drilled by the Deep Sea Nordkapp rig, which will proceed to production licence 932 where Aker BP ASA is the operator.