DNO makes minor oil discovery near Ekofisk field in the North Sea

DNO ASA discovered oil on the Gomez prospect in license PL006C offshore Norway. Based on preliminary assessments, there is uncertainty whether the reservoir can be commercially produced, and no estimate of recoverable volumes has been established. The operator and partner Aker BP will study data collected during the operation before deciding next steps.

Exploration well 2/5-15 encountered hydrocarbons in the primary target in the Våle formation of Paleocene age. The reservoir is a 23-m thick, homogeneous sandstone of poor to moderate quality. A small amount of oil was recovered during logging. The oil-water contact was not encountered.

The well was drilled about 14 km east of Ekofisk field in the southern North Sea and 280 km southwest of Stavanger by the Borgland Dolphin floating rig to a vertical depth of 3,292 m below sea level (OGJ Online, Aug. 9, 2021). It was terminated in the Ekofisk formation from the Palaeocene. Water depth at the site is 67 m.

The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out. The well will be plugged and abandoned.

This is the fourth exploration well in the license, which was carved out from PL006 in 2000.

The floating rig will now drill wildcat well 6306/3-1 S in production license 937 in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea for INEOS E&P Norge AS.

DNO is operator of PL006C with 65% interest. Aker BP holds 35%.

In a separate announcement, Equinor as operator of license PL159B (DNO 32%) reported that the recently completed Black Vulture exploration well did not encounter hydrocarbons.

In addition to Gomez and Black Vulture, DNO’s 2021 Norwegian exploration and appraisal program comprises three wells, of which the first two, Røver Nord (DNO 20%) and Bergknapp (DNO 30%), have already been drilled and proven likely commercial volumes, the company said. The remaining 2021 exploration well, Mugnetind (DNO 30%), is expected to spud shortly.