The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Three exploration wells in operation across sector
Westwood Global Energy reports that there were three exploration well programmes active as of September 2. Two exploration well programmes were completed and two exploration well programmes spudded in August.
NORTH SEA
Equinor spudded the 35/ 11- 24 S Swisher well on July 13 using the West Hercules semi- submersible. The well is targeting oil in an Upper Jurassic Viking Group prospect in a stratigraphic trap. The 35/11-24 A sidetrack kicked-off on the August 11 and a further sidetrack, 35/11-24 B, kicked off on the August 19. The well was expected to take up to 70 days.
The Spirit- operated 16/ 1- 33 S Sørvesten well was completed on August 5 using the Leiv Eiriksson semi-submersible. The well targeted the Middle Jurassic, with secondary potential in the Triassic Skagerrak Formation, within a fault block. The well encountered good reservoir quality sandstones in the Middle
Jurassic Sleipner Formation and Triassic Skagerrak Formation, however both reservoirs are dry. The well was completed in 27 days.
Neptune spudded the 34/4-15 S Dugong exploration well on June 18 using the Deepsea Yantai semisubmersible. The initial exploration well was targeting 86 mmboe of oil in the Middle Jurassic Brent Group within a stratigraphic trap with additional fault closure. Following an announcement by the JV on July 3 that it had made the decision to core based on the presence of hydrocarbons in cuttings samples and indications on logs, the well was sidetracked on July 16. The sidetrack was also targeting the downdip Upper Jurassic Sjøpølse prospect, which was a subcrop play. The JV announced a discovery with resources of 40-120 mmboe in an Upper Jurassic Intra- Draupne reservoir and a Middle Jurassic Rannoch Formation reservoir.
NORWEGIAN SEA
Wellesley spudded the 6204/ 11- 3 Schweinsteiger well on August 25 using the Borgland Dolphin semisubmersible. The well is targeting oil with a gas cap in the Lower
Cretaceous Åsgard Formation and a flat spot has been identified within the assumed reservoir on the seismic data. The prospect is within a three way dip closure in a fault block. The well is expected to complete in 37 days.
ConocoPhillips spudded the 6507/4-1 Warka well on August 12 using the Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible. The well is targeting gas in the Warka and Warzawa prospects in Lower Cretaceous turbidites. The well is expected to complete in 78 days in a dry hole case.
BARENTS SEA
The Equinor- operated 7219/ 9- 3 Mist exploration well spudded on July 12 and completed on July 29 using the Transocean Enabler semisubmersible. The well was targeting oil and gas in the Lower Jurassic Tubåen Formation within a fault block. The well encountered a 110m (361ft) Tubåen Formation interval containing 50m (164ft) of very good reservoir quality sandstones. The secondary Upper Triassic Fruholmen Formation target was 290m (951ft) thick with 75m (246ft) of good to very good reservoir quality sandstones. Both reservoirs are dry.