Equinor Energy AS, operator of production licence 128 D, is in the process of concluding the drilling of appraisal wells 6608/10-18, 6608/10-18 A and 6608/10-18 B. 

The wells were drilled about 7 kilometres northwest of the Norne field in the northern part of the Norwegian Sea and about 200 kilometres west of Sandnessjøen.

The 6608/10-17 S (Cape Vulture) oil and gas discovery was originally proven in two zones in Lower Cretaceous reservoir rocks (the Lange formation) in 2017. Before these appraisal wells were drilled, the operator’s resource estimate for the discovery was between 3 and 13 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalents.

The objective of the wells was to delineate the two reservoir zones in the 6608/10-17 S oil and gas discovery, as well as to investigate a new underlying, third reservoir zone in the Lower Cretaceous (the Lange formation).

The appraisal wells encountered oil in three reservoir zones in the Lange formation. The oil/water contacts were not encountered in the three reservoir zones, but were established with the aid of well 6608/10-18 B. The total proven oil column in the uppermost zone is about 80 metres. In the middle zone, a 13-metre gas column was proven, as well as a total oil column of about 110 metres.

In the uppermost zone, 6608/10-18 A encountered an oil column of about 10 metres, of which 5 metres in sandstone with good to very good reservoir properties.

In the middle zone, oil columns of about 15 and 10 metres were discovered in wells 6608/10-18 and 6608/10-18 A respectively, of which 5 metres in sandstones with moderate to good reservoir properties in both wells.

In the deepest zone, 6608/10-18 encountered oil in a 2-metre thick sandstone layer with good reservoir properties.

Preliminary estimates of the size of the discovery after the appraisal drilling are between 8 and 11 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalents. The licensees will assess the discovery further with a view toward potential future development via the Norne FPSO.

The wells were not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.

These are the three first exploration wells in production licence 128 D, which was awarded in APA 2016.

Wells 6608/10-18, 6608/10-18 A and 6608/10-18 B were drilled to respective vertical depths of 3437, 3114 and 3256 metres, and respective measured depths of 3437, 3474 and 3585 metres below the sea surface. Well 6608/10-18 was terminated in the Melke formation (in the Middle to Upper Jurassic) and wells 6608/10-18 A and 6608/10-18 B were terminated in the Lange formation (Lower Cretaceous). Water depth is 372 metres. The wells will be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Wells 6608/10-18, 6608/10-18 A and 6608/10-18 B were drilled by the Songa Encourage drilling facility, which will now proceed to the Tyrihans field in the Norwegian Sea to drill production well 6407/1-A2 BH, where Equinor Energy AS is the operator.