Another North Sea oil find

Made by exploration wells 34/8-13 A and 34/8-13 S, this strike is estimated to contain 5.6-12.5 million recoverable barrels of oil equivalent. A tie-in to Visund will be assessed.

“Although it’s only a small find, the volumes proven could be very significant for realising a Visund North development,” explains Visund operations head Tom Karsten Gustavsen.

Intended to prove petroleum in the Brent group, the discovery wells were drilled in a structurally complex area.

While 13 A found a small oil column in Upper Jurassic sands, the underlying Brent group proved to be an aquifer. Well 13 S, drilled 2.7 kilometres to the south-east, found oil in the Brent group.

The oil zones in the two wells are likely to be in communication, and both have been subject to extensive data gathering and coring.

“This find is the result of good collaboration between the Visund production team and our exploration specialists,” says Tom Dreyer, head of infrastructure-led exploration in the North Sea.

The water depth in the area is 381 metres. Both wells have now been permanently plugged and abandoned.

Operator StatoilHydro has 59.06% of production licence 120, where its partners are Petoro with 16.94%, ConocoPhillips 13% and Total E&P Norge 11%.

Wells 34/8-13 A and 34/8-13 S are the 23rd and 24th exploration wells respectively in PL 120, which was awarded in the 10A licensing round in 1985. Well 13 A was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,108 metres below sea level and terminated in the Statfjord formation. Well 13 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,258 metres below sea level and terminated in the Hegre group.