Centrica Resources Norge AS, operator of production license 528 B, is about to complete drilling of wildcat well 6707/10-3 S. The well was drilled about 20 km (12 miles) northeast of the Aasta Hansteen Field in the Norwegian Sea, according to a press release from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

The primary and secondary exploration targets for the well were proving petroleum in Upper Cretaceous reservoir rocks, the Kvitnos and Lysing formations, respectively.

Well 6707/10-3 S encountered a total gas column of about 12 m (39 ft) in the Kvitnos Formation with good reservoir properties, according to the release. The entire reservoir zone, including the water zone, has a gross thickness of about 200 m (656 ft).

Reservoir rocks were encountered in the secondary exploration target with a total thickness of 25 m (82 ft) in the Lysing Formation, which was tight and aquiferous. Preliminary calculations of the size of the discovery are between 2 Bcm and 8 Bcm (70.6 Bcf and 282.5 Bcf) of recoverable gas. The licensees will assess well results with regard to profitability.

The well was not formation tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out. This is the first exploration well in production license 528 B. The license was awarded in the 21st licensing round, as an addition to production license 528, according to the release.

Well 6707/10-3 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 4,264 m (13,990 ft) below the sea surface and was terminated in the Lange Formation in the Lower Cretaceous. The water depth is 1,421 m (4,662 ft). The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned, according to the release. Well 6707/10-3 S was drilled by the West Navigator drillship.

Offshore