Statoil group finds basement oil near Johan Sverdrup

Statoil Petroleum AS has drilled a small oil discovery west of the main bounding fault of Johan Sverdrup field in the North Sea offshore Norway.

The 16/2-18S exploratory well on PL265 had a primary objective to explore for a westerly extension of the Jurassic reservoir 2 km west of the main bounding fault onto the southern Utsira basement high but found no Jurassic reservoir. The secondary objective was to investigate basement reservoir properties.

The Ocean Vanguard semisubmersible drilled the well to 1,948 m vertical depth below mean sea level. The upper part of a weathered and fractured granitic basement was cored and logged and a mini drillstem test was carried out. An oil zone of 15 m with poor production characteristics was proven and no oil-water contact was established.

The oil is not in communication with the Johan Sverdrup discovery, and the well is to be plugged and abandoned.

Interests in PL265 are Statoil 40%, Petoro 30%, Det norske oljeselskap ASA 20%, and Lundin Norway AS 10%.