Statoil has completed drilling of an exploration well in North Sea block 35/10 without finding hydrocarbons.
The company is operator for licence 173 in block 35/10 which lies in the Tampen Wedge, east of the Gullfaks area. Drilled to a vertical depth of 2,223 metres, the objective of well 35/10-3 was to discover the hydrocarbon potential of the Tertiary rocks. The well was permanently plugged and abandoned on 15 July.
"The use of creative seismic methodology revealed a reservoir of good quality. This well has therefore yielded information that will be valuable in further work in the surrounding areas," says Reidar Helland, area manager in Statoil's exploration and area development unit.
The well data will be analysed thoroughly before any final conclusions can be made, but according to Mr Helland considerable progress has been made in understanding and predicting Tertiary exploration models in this area. It has also been confirmed that the methodology for finding good reservoirs from the Tertiary period is appropriate.
The Transocean Arctic mobile rig which drilled the well, will now be moved to the Gullfaks area where it will drill a new exploration well for Statoil.