Equinor, Neptune consider tie in of oil discovery near Gudrun field in the North Sea

Equinor Energy AS and partner Neptune Energy Norge AS will consider a tie in of a new oil discovery in the Sigrun East prospect in the central part of the North Sea to Gudrun field (OGJ Online, Sept. 28, 2011). Recoverable resources are estimated to be 7-17 MMboe.

Wells 15/3-12S and 15/3-12AT2—the 10th and 11th exploration wells in production license 025—are follow-up wells to the Sigrun appraisal well (15/3-11) drilled in 2018 (OGJ Online, Nov. 26, 2019). The aim was to prove extra resources and clarify the commercial basis.

Drilled by the West Phoenix drilling facility some 11 km southeast of Gudrun field, 15/3-12 S and 15/3-12AT2 were drilled to respective vertical depths of 3,652 and 3,796 m subsea, and respective measured depths of 3,771 and 3,999 m subsea. Both were terminated in the Sleipner formation in the Middle Jurassic. Water depth at the site is 109 m.

The primary and secondary exploration targets for wildcat well 15/3-12S were to prove petroleum in Middle and Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Hugin and Draupne formations), respectively.

The well encountered three separate oil-filled reservoir zones of 9, 4, and 9 m in the Hugin formation, which are about 100 m thick. The reservoir zones mainly have moderate reservoir quality. The oil-water contacts were not encountered.

The exploration target for wildcat well 15/3-12AT2 was to prove petroleum in Upper and Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Draupne and Hugin formations), respectively. The well encountered the Draupne and Hugin formations with respective thicknesses of about 85 and 120 m. Both formations are water-bearing. There are indications of oil in a thin, 3-m sandstone layer in the Sleipner formation in the Middle Jurassic.

No formation tests were performed, but extensive volumes of data have been collected and samples have been taken. The wells have been plugged.

The wells were drilled as sole risk by Equinor Energy AS (75%) and Neptune Energy Norge AS (25%). Partners in PL025/187 are Equinor (36%, operator), Neptune Energy Norge AS (25%), OMV Norge AS (24%), and Repsol Norge AS (15%).

The West Phoenix drilling facility will now drill wildcat well 6507/8-10 S in production license 889 in the Norwegian Sea, where Neptune Energy Norge AS is operator.