Two exploration wells drilled by Statoil in the Gulf of Mexico and off the west coast of Africa have both disappointed.

The Norwegian operator said the deepwater Martin well in US Gulf found only a non-commercial discovery while the Dilolo well in the frontier pre-salt Kwanza basin offshore Angola failed to hit paydirt.

Statoil said it did not consider the small discovery at Martin a commercial discovery, with plug and abandonment operations on the well now underway. Once complete, the Maersk Developer rig (pictured) will head for the deepwater Perseus prospect in De Soto Canyon (DC) 231. Statoil is the operator (42.5%) of Martin, with its partners including Nexen (25%) and LLOG (26%).

In the Kwanza basin, it added, the Dilolo-1 exploration well in Block 39 was drilled to its pre-salt target. The first well in the block, it did not encounter hydrocarbons but the Norwegian operator did say the operation provided “a valuable calibration” for other prospects in the area.

Further studies are needed in order to fully understand the well results, it added, with the well now in the process of being plugged and abandoned. Drilled by the Stena Carron drillship, that rig will next move to Block 38 to spud the Jacaré-1 deepwater exploration well.

Statoil is planning to participate in eight commitment wells across five blocks in the Kwanza basin.

In block 39 Statoil is the operator with a 37.5% stake, with its partners being Total (7.5%), WRG (15%), Ecopetrol (10%) and Sonangol P&P (30%), while in block 38 it is again the operator (45%), with WRG (15%), Ecopetrol (10%) and Sonangol P&P (30%) as partners (although the Ecopetrol farm-in is still subject to approval by Sonangol E&P and the Angolan minister of petroleum).

• Elsewhere, Statoil says it is currently drilling the Giligiliani well in Block 2 offshore Tanzania. It is also preparing for its 18-month drilling campaign off the east coast of Canada to follow up its substantial deepwater Bay du Nord oil discovery.

It will also participate in two further wells in the Kwanza basin on the Puma prospect in Block 25 (operated by Total) and the Repsol-operated Locosso well in Block 22. Another Repsol-operated well in which Statoil has a share, Seat-2 in block BM-C-33 in the Campos basin offshore Brazil, is also currently being drill stem tested after encountering a pre-salt hydrocarbon-bearing section.

Offshore