A small gas find has been made by Statoil on its Tulipan prospect in the Norwegian Sea.
As operator for production licence 251, which covers this structure, the group is currently completing the 6302/6-1 wildcat there.
Small quantities of gas were encountered in early Tertiary sandstones at a depth of just over 2,600 metres beneath the seabed.
Statoil is currently completing a very extensive logging programme in the well, which will form the basis for further analyses.
The wildcat terminated in late Cretaceous rocks about 2,950 metres beneath the seabed.
“This represents a new play model on the Norwegian continental shelf,” reports Knut Chr Grindstad, exploration manager for the deepwater part of the Norwegian Sea.
“The well accordingly opens exciting perspectives in a completely new area. Unfortunately, however, it yielded only a small discovery.”
Drilled by Eirik Raude, the well is located in 1,260 metres of water roughly 130 kilometres west of Hydro’s Ormen Lange gas development.
Statoil has a 90 per cent interest in Tulipan, with Norske Shell holding the remaining 10 per cent. BG Norge is acquiring 20 per cent of Statoil’s share, subject to government approval.
Eirik Raude will now move to the Barents Sea to drill on Eni’s Goliat discovery before spudding an exploration well on Statoil’s Uranus prospect.