Our Arctic Neighbors: Statoil makes find close to developed field

Norway’s Statoil has found oil and gas in the Fossekall prospect just north of the Norne field in the Norwegian Sea, the company said in a release April 7. The proven recoverable resources are provisionally estimated at between 37 and 63 million barrels of oil. The volume of associated and free gas is estimated at between 35.3 billion and 105.9 billion standard cubic feet.

“I am pleased that we have made yet another discovery in the area north of the Norne field,” said Geir Richardsen, Statoil’s head of exploration for acreage close to the infrastructure in the Norwegian Sea. Last year Statoil discovered oil on the Dompap prospect, which also lies north of the Norne field.

“These discoveries demonstrate that also the deeper, western parts of the Norne area remain prospectable,” said Richardsen. “This may well have a bearing on our field longevity work,” he added. Together with its partners the company will consider developing the discovery through a tie-in to Norne, where the storage and production ship Norne receives production from seabed templates.

Norne is also linked to the gas infrastructure on the continent by means of pipeline systems. The partners on the license where the oil and gas was just discovered are Statoil (operator, 63.95 percent), Petoro AS (24.55 percent) and ENI Norge AS (11.5 percent).

The well at the Fossekall prospect was drilled to a total vertical depth of 9,017 feet below sea level. It was concluded in the Are formation in the lower Jurassic. The water depth in the area is 1,154 feet. Drilling was conducted from the rig Ocean Vanguard. The well is now being plugged and abandoned.

—Sarah Hurst