The well was drilled some six kilometres south-west of the Snøhvit field and 150 kilometres north-west of Hammerfest, northern Norway, in a water depth of 275 metres.
Its purpose was to prove hydrocarbons in sandstones of Jurassic age that could have yielded additional resources near the Hammerfest LNG plant at Melkøya. The well was dry and only traces of hydrocarbons were proven. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.
The operation was carried out by the Polar Pioneer drilling rig in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound way in accordance with applicable petroleum industry requirements for the area.
StatoilHydro will have a comprehensive exploration programme in the Barents Sea in 2008. Several wells will be drilled to prove new deposits that are suitable for Snøhvit, as well as additional wells in new areas of the Barents Sea.
Polar Pioneer's next assignment will be to permanently plug a well at Snøhvit before moving on to a new exploration well.
Snøhvit Unit licensees are StatoilHydro (operator) with a 33.53% interest, Petoro AS (30.00%), Total E&P Norge AS (18.40%), Gaz de France Norge AS (12.00%), Hess Norge AS (3.26%) and RWE Dea Norge AS with 2.81%.