OMV continues exploration south of Oselvar field in the North Sea
More detailed studies will be needed to determine potential connection between proven resources in the Forties and Andrew formations in a recent exploration well drilled by OMV (Norge) AS and the 1/3-11 (Ipswich) oil discovery, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said in a June 12 release.
Well 1/3-13—the first exploration well in production license 970—was drilled by the Maersk Integrator jack up drilling rig near the 2008 Ipswich oil discovery about 6 km south of Oselvar field in the southern North Sea and 300 km southwest of Stavanger. The objective was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in the Tor formation from the Late Cretaceous Age.
It was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,285 m below sea level and was terminated about 100 m into water-bearing chalk in the Tor formation, with good to very good porosity, but low permeability. Water depth at the site is 71 m. The well has been permanently plugged.
The well also encountered a 3-m thick petroleum-bearing layer in the Ekofisk formation from the Palaeocene, which is probably residual oil.
It encountered oil in an 8-m thick sandstone layer in the Forties formation and a total of 3 m of sandstone in the Andrew formation, both from the Palaeocene age. The oil-water contact was not proven.
The sandstones are of moderate to very good reservoir quality.
The well was not formation-tested, but data acquisition has been carried out.
The rig will now drill development well 16/1-D-13 on Aker BP-operated Ivar Aasen field in the North Sea.