StatoilHydro drills dry in Barents Sea
2007.12.10 -
Field Development
StatoilHydro has completed drilling of the Askeladd Beta exploration well in production licence 7120/8-4 in the Barents Sea.
The well was drilled some six kilometres south-west of the Snøhvit field and 150 kilometres north-west of Hammerfest, northern Norway, in a water depth of 275 metres.
Its purpose was to prove hydrocarbons in sandstones of Jurassic age that could have yielded additional resources near the Hammerfest LNG plant at Melkøya. The well was dry and only traces of hydrocarbons were proven. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.
The operation was carried out by the Polar Pioneer drilling rig in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound way in accordance with applicable petroleum industry requirements for the area.
StatoilHydro will have a comprehensive exploration programme in the Barents Sea in 2008. Several wells will be drilled to prove new deposits that are suitable for Snøhvit, as well as additional wells in new areas of the Barents Sea.
Polar Pioneer's next assignment will be to permanently plug a well at Snøhvit before moving on to a new exploration well.
Snøhvit Unit licensees are StatoilHydro (operator) with a 33.53% interest, Petoro AS (30.00%), Total E&P Norge AS (18.40%), Gaz de France Norge AS (12.00%), Hess Norge AS (3.26%) and RWE Dea Norge AS with 2.81%.
PA Resources AB has signed an agreement with the shareholders to acquire the entire share capital of the British oil exploration company Scotsdale Ltd. The company is focusing on low risk exploration in North West Europe. The acquisition means that PA Resources increases its presence in the North Sea with licenses in the United Kingdom and Denmark, and potentially also in the Netherlands.
Aker Exploration has entered into agreements with the international oil company Eni Norge to acquire ownership interests in two licenses in the vicinity of the Åsgard field. The agreements further strengthen Aker Exploration’s position in the Norwegian Sea.
SCAN Geophysical ASA (SCAN) today announced that the company is
remobilising its seismic vessel, M/V Geo Searcher, to re-commence a previously-suspended
2D project offshore Pakistan for BP.
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted ENI Norge AS a drilling permit for wellbore 34/12-1 in the North Sea.
Eni has successfully drilled the last appraisal well, encountered approximately 127 metres (419 ft) of net pay in multiple sands. The initial analysis indicates good reservoir quality.
