Sokkeldirektoratet

Oil and gas discovery in the North Sea

oseberg-c-oyvind-hagen-equinor.jpg

The well was drilled from the Oseberg C platform. Photo: Øivind Hagen/Equinor

11/3/2023 Equinor has discovered oil and gas in exploration well 30/6-C-2 A ("Lambda"), about four kilometres west of the Oseberg field in the North Sea.

Equinor is the operator of production licence 053, where the other licensees are Petoro, TotalEnergies and Conoco Phillips.

Discoveries were made in two different formations. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery in the Eiriksson Formation between 0.2 and 0.4 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil equivalent.

And the preliminary size estimate for the discovery in the Cook Formation is between 0.2 and 1.0 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil equivalent.

These discoveries represent important additional resources for Oseberg. Equinor and its partners will continue to work to improve understanding of the discovery and to identify production solutions for the oil and the gas.

The well was drilled from the Oseberg C platform, which is an integrated production, drilling and living quarters platform in the northern part of the field. Oseberg was proven in 1979, and came on stream in 1988.

Geological information

The primary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks in the Statfjord Group. The secondary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in Lower Jurassic reservoir rocks in the Cook Formation.

Well 30/6-C-2 A encountered about 23 metres of oil and gas-filled sandstone with good reservoir quality in the Eiriksson Formation in the Statfjord Group. In the Cook Formation, the well encountered about 15 metres of oil and gas-filled sandstone with moderate to good reservoir quality. The petroleum/water contact was encountered in the Eiriksson Formation, but not in the Cook Formation.

Well 30/6-C-2 A was drilled to a vertical depth of 2795 metres below sea level and was terminated in the Eiriksson Formation.

The well was drilled from the Oseberg C installation and has been plugged back.

The well was not formation-tested, but data collection has been carried out.

Water depth at the site is 109 metres.

Map showing the location of well 30/6-C-2-A.

Contact

Ola Anders Skauby

Director Communication, public affairs and emergency response

Tel: +47 905 98 519

Updated: 11/6/2023

Latest news

Drilling permit for wellbore 34/4-19 S
9/15/2025 The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor Energy AS drilling permit for wellbore 34/4-19 S in production licence 057.
Drilling permit for wellbore 34/6-9 S
9/15/2025 The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor Energy AS drilling permit for wellbore 34/6-9 S in production licence 554.
Oil discovery in the North Sea (31/4-A-15 B)
9/11/2025 OKEA and its partners have made an oil discovery near the Brage field.
Drilling permit for wellbore 6507/8-12 S
9/11/2025 The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor Energy AS drilling permit for wellbore 6507/8-12 S in production licence 124 B.
Invitation to nominate blocks for the 26th licensing round
9/10/2025 The Norwegian Offshore Directorate is inviting the companies on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) to nominate blocks for the 26th licensing round on the NCS.
Interest in exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf remains high
9/4/2025 The authorities have received applications from 20 companies in the Awards in Predefined Areas (APA) 2025. The deadline for applications was 2 September.
Regulations relating to seabed minerals now stipulated
9/3/2025 With effect from 1 September 2025, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate has now stipulated the Regulations relating to data collection and documentation in mineral activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
New dashboard provides insight into exploration activity on the NCS
9/1/2025 Exploration activity is crucial for future oil and gas production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).
Drilling permit for wellbore 6407/1-B-2 H
9/1/2025 The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor Energy AS drilling permit for wellbore 6407/1-B-2 H in production licence 1121.
Dry well in the Barents Sea (7117/4-1)
9/1/2025 Equinor and its partners have drilled a dry well in the "Deimos" prospect.