Hydro has proven oil deposits in the Brent formation, the deeper rock types located under the oil and gas producing layers on the Troll field in the North Sea. Hydro regards the opportunities for commercial exploitation of the Brent formation oil as encouraging, given that the find is situated close to existing installations on the Troll field.
A well drilled under the oil and gas producing formations on the Troll field has proved the presence of additional oil deposits in the Brent formation.
Further analyses and delineation drilling must be carried out to obtain secure data regarding the expected volume of additional reserves and recovery rate. A production test of the formation will also be carried out.
The well was drilled by the West Venture rig in the area northeast for Troll C platform.
The find is the fourth made this year by Hydro as a Norwegian Continental Shelf operator. Previous discoveries were on the Oseberg Sør field and on the Astero and Peon prospects.
Hydro currently produces oil and gas from reservoirs in the Sognefjord and Fensfjord formations. The Brent formation, known as a petroleum-bearing reservoir rock-type in other areas of the North Sea, lies 500 meters under these formations. For example, the oil and gas reserves on the Oseberg field are situated in the Brent formation.
Hydro currently produces some 260,000 barrels of oil on the Troll B and Troll C platforms. By developing advanced subsea solutions, plus innovative drilling and well technology, Hydro’s petroleum technologists have managed to exploit the extremely thin oil zone on Troll. As of today, 106 production wells have been drilled, of which 36 are multilateral.
The well was drilled at a depth of 341 meters and down to 2,055 meters below sea-level. The West Venture rig will now drill a new production well on Troll Oil.