A good exploration season has been recorded by Statoil on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) so far this year.
The group recently proved more oil and gas in the Tyrihans South discovery in the Norwegian Sea and found oil in the Dolly prospect in the Tampen area of the North Sea.
Being drilled by Stena Don to a depth of 4,000 metres, the Tyrihans South appraisal well is currently being logged.
“At the moment, it looks as if our optimistic estimates have been confirmed, but we’ll know more when the data have been gathered,” says Knut Chr Grindstad.
As exploration vice president for the Halten/Nordland business cluster in the north Norwegian town of Harstad, he characterised the results of the well as gratifying.
The additional resources proven add substantially to total reserves in the Tyrihans South and North fields.
“We need a number of such discoveries in future to keep our processing facilities fully occupied and to continue developing the area,” says Mr Grindstad.
Tyrihans is regarded as a satellite to Statoil’s producing Åsgard field.
A natural development approach would accordingly be a direct subsea tie-in with the existing infrastructure on Åsgard, once the basis for possible production has been clarified.
Mr Grindstad is very satisfied with the new Stena Don rig, which includes dynamic positioning among its capabilities.
The other discovery was made with exploration well 34/10-47S in the Dolly prospect, which lies north of Gullfaks satellites Rimfaks and Gullveig.
Deepsea Trym recently completed the first section of the well, five kilometres from Gullveig. The results of an extensive logging and coring programme are now being evaluated.
Hydrocarbons were also proven earlier this year in two structures – 33/9-8A Ole and 33/9-8S Dole – west of Rimfaks.
“These are positive results,” says Reidar Helland, manager of the Gullfaks resource development department.
“Possible solutions for development as supplementary resources to the major Tampen area fields will be evaluated during the winter.”