Statoil has finished drilling an exploration well on the Delta structure south east of the Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea. The well was dry.
The purpose of the drilling was to prove oil in the Jurassic sandstone of the Delta structure in block 7121/5. This would strengthen the possibilities of a profitable development of the petroleum resources in the Snøhvit area. Drilling was carried out by Transocean Arctic to a total depth of 2265 metres below sea level and terminated in rock of the Triassic period. Only traces of oil and gas in the Jurassic and Triassic sandstone layers were proven.
“The result was disappointing, and the possibility of developing the petroleum resources in the Snøhvit area has been weakened,” says Erik Henriksen, exploration manager for the Barents Sea.
Statoil has collected around 60 metres of core samples and the well has been logged extensively. Statoil is the operator for production licence 110 in block 7121/5, about 120 kilometres north-west of Hammerfest.
Production licence 110 is one of seven licences in the coordinated Snøhvit area.