Minor oil and gas discovery near the Valhall field in the North Sea – 2/8-19

The well was drilled about 10 kilometres north of the Valhall field in the Norwegian Sea, and 270 kilometres southwest of Lista.

The primary exploration target for well 2/8-19 was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in Lower Pliocene clinoforms (Nordland Group). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in Middle Pliocene clinoforms (Nordland Group).

In the primary exploration target, well 2/8-19 encountered a 9-metre oil column in a sandstone reservoir totalling 56 metres in the Nordland Group. The oil column was in a reservoir with moderate to good reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was proven at 703 metres below sea level. Traces of petroleum were also observed in sandstone with moderate to poor reservoir quality deeper than the proven oil/water contact.

In the secondary exploration target, the well encountered a 15-metre gas column in a sandstone reservoir. The reservoir totalled 68 metres, and reservoir quality varied from good (top) to poor (bottom). The gas/water contact was proven at a depth of 563 metres below sea level.

Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 0.6 and 1.9 million Sm3 of recoverable oil equivalent. The licensees will assess the discovery as regards potential further delineation.

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

This is the first exploration well in production licence 1085. The licence was awarded in APA 2020.

Well 2/8-19 was drilled to a vertical depth of 806 metres below sea level and was terminated in the Nordland Group in the Pliocene.

Water depth at the site is 69 metres. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.

Well 2/8-19 was drilled by the Maersk Invincible drilling facility, which is now headed to Denmark for classification.