A new gas discovery has been made by Statoil with its 34/11-4 well close to the group's Kvitebjørn field in the North Sea.
The well was drilled to a total depth of 4,414 metres below sea level in the Mats segment of the Gamma structure just west of Kvitebjørn.
Bjarne Bakken, project manager for the field, says the find is interesting "but further interpretation of the area must be carried out during the year on the basis of the well and new seismic data before we can determine whether it's commercial."
Two earlier wells drilled by PL 050 in the Gamma structure both found gas.
Operator Statoil's partners are Norsk Hydro and Elf, with 15 and five per cent interests respectively.