Aker BP has made another significant natural gas discovery in the Barents Sea, approximately 300 km offshore Norway.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate confirmed the find, located in wildcat well 7324/8-4 (Hassel).
Second Discovery in Production License:
This marks the second successful well drilled in production license 1170, which was awarded in the APA 2021 licensing round. The first well, 7324/6-2, also confirmed the presence of gas. Both wells were drilled using the Scarabeo 8 rig.
Preliminary estimates suggest the natural gas discovery holds a substantial volume, ranging between 3.23 and 4.42 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe).
Strategic Location Near Existing Discoveries:
Wells 7324/6-2 and 7324/8-4 were drilled within the Hoop fault complex, in close proximity to the 7324/8-1 (Wisting) and 7324/7-2 (Hanssen) oil discoveries. The region has seen previous drilling activities in other production licenses, resulting in several notable discoveries.
Collaboration among Licensees:
The licensees involved in this area include major players Equinor, Aker BP, Petoro, and Inpex Idemitsu. This collaborative effort demonstrates the commitment to exploring and developing energy resources in the Norwegian waters.
Geological Insights and Reservoir Characteristics:
The primary objective of the well was to confirm the presence of petroleum in Middle Jurassic to Upper Triassic reservoir rocks, specifically the Stø and Fruholmen formations.
Well 7324/8-4 encountered a 30-meter reservoir zone within these formations, with an 11-meter gas column. Notably, 8 meters of this gas column were found in sandstone layers exhibiting excellent reservoir quality.
Well Data and Completion:
The gas/water contact was identified at 686 meters below sea level. While the well was not formation-tested, extensive data acquisition and sampling were conducted.
Well 7324/8-4 reached a vertical depth of 781 meters below sea level and was terminated in the Snadd Formation of the Upper Triassic. The water depth at the site is 401 meters.
Future Plans:
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has indicated that the well will be permanently plugged and abandoned, paving the way for potential future development activities in this promising gas-rich region.