The discovery was made in production licence 636 just north of the Duva field, 50 kilometres southwest of Florø. Preliminary estimates indicate between 2.9–6.2 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil equivalents (Sm3 o.e.), which corresponds to 18-39 million barrels.

The licensees are considering tying the discovery back to existing infrastructure nearby.

Production licence 636, which was awarded in 2012, already covers the Duva field. This is the second exploration campaign to be conducted in the licence. The wells were drilled using the Deepsea Yantai rig.

This discovery is the fifth made by Vår Energi in Cretaceous plays in the area around the Gjøa field. The company operates the nearby Gjøa and Duva fields.

“The results from Vår Energi’s exploration activity are important for area development, and could also have an impact on the lifetime of the Gjøa facility,” says assistant director Wenche Tjelta Johansen.

Geological information

The primary exploration target for well 36/7-5 S was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in the Agat Formation in the Lower Cretaceous.

The objective of sidetracks 36/7-5 A and C was to delineate the discovery in 36/7-5 S, as well as to prove the oil/water contact. The objective of well 36/7-5 B was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in the Agat Formation in a separate prospect (Cerisa West).

Well 36/7-5 S encountered a 46-metre gas column and an oil column of around 9 metres in the Agat Formation, 34 metres of which were sandstone layers with good to moderate reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not proven.

Well 36/7-5 A encountered a 39-metre oil column in the Agat Formation, 28 metres of which were sandstone layers with good to moderate reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not proven.

Well 36/7-5 B encountered a 29-metre oil column in the Agat Formation, 20 metres of which were sandstone layers with good to moderate reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not proven.

Well 36/7-5 C encountered a 61-metre oil column in the Agat Formation, 26 metres of which were sandstone layers of good to moderate reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not proven.

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

Well 36/7-5 S was drilled to respective measured and vertical depths of 2377 metres and 2366 metres below sea level.

Well 36/7-5 A was drilled to respective measured and vertical depths of 2639 metres and 2392 metres below sea level.

Well 36/7-5 B was drilled to respective measured and vertical depths of 3093 metres and 2389 metres below sea level.

All three wells were terminated in the Åsgard Formation.

Well 36/7-5 C was drilled to respective measured and vertical depths of 3047 metres and 2316 metres below sea level and was terminated in the Sola Formation.

Water depth at the site is 334 metres. The wells will be permanently plugged and abandoned.