Aker BP discovers more gas in Barents Sea license

Aker BP has discovered gas in an exploration well in the Barents Sea, about 300 km from the northern coast of Norway. Preliminary estimates indicate the size of the discovery at 0.5 –0.7 million cu m of oil equivalent (3.23–4.42 MMboe).

The licensees will assess the discovery together with other discoveries and prospects in the area, with a view toward a potential development.

Well 7324/8-4 (Hassel), the second to be drilled in production license 1170. The operator recently proved gas in the first well in the license, 7324/6-2 (OGJ Online, June 21, 2024). Both wells were drilled by the Scarabeo 8 rig.

Hassel was drilled to a vertical depth of 781 m subsea. It was terminated in the Snadd formation in the Upper Triassic. Water depth at the site is 401 m. The well will be plugged.

The license partners will assess the discovery together with other discoveries and prospects in the area, with a view toward a potential development.

Wells 7324/6-2 and 7324/8-4 were drilled in the Hoop fault complex, in the same vicinity as the Equinor Energy-operated 7324/8-1 (Wisting) and 7324/7-2 (Hanssen) oil discoveries.

Geological information

The objective of the well was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic to Upper Triassic reservoir rocks in the Stø and Fruholmen formations.

Hassel encountered a 30-m reservoir zone in the Stø and Fruholmen formations, with an 11-m gas column, a total of 8 m of which in sandstone layers with very good reservoir quality.

The gas/water contact was encountered 686 m subsea.

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

Aker BP is operator of the license with 35% interest. Partners are Equinor Energy AS (35%), Petoro AS (20%), and INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS (10%).