Sokkeldirektoratet

Dry well in the Barents Sea (7117/4-1)

cosl-prospector

The well was drilled by the COSL Prospector rig. (Photo: COSL)

9/1/2025 Equinor and its partners have drilled a dry well in the "Deimos" prospect.

Wildcat well 7117/4-1 was drilled in production licence 1238, 135 kilometres west of the Snøhvit field and 260 kilometres northwest of Hammerfest.

This well is the first one drilled in the production licence, which was awarded on 15 March 2024 (Awards in predefined areas 2023).

The well was drilled by the COSL Prospector rig.

Geological information

The well's primary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Eocene reservoir rocks in the Torsk Formation. The well's secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Palaeocene reservoir rocks in the lower Torsk Formation.

Operational challenges associated with unusually high pressure in the Eocene part of the Torsk Formation resulted in a technical sidetrack.

The well did not encounter reservoir rocks in the primary exploration target in the Torsk Formation. The secondary exploration target in the Torsk Formation was not achieved.

Above the primary exploration target, the well encountered a 4-metre sandstone layer with good reservoir quality in the Torsk Formation.

The well is classified as dry. The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition was undertaken.
Well 7117/4-1 was drilled to a vertical depth of 2511 metres below sea level and was terminated in the Torsk Formation in the Middle Eocene.

Water depth at the site is 283 metres. The well will be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Map showing the location of well 7117/4-1.

 

Contact
postboks@sodir.no

Tel: +47 51 87 60 00

Updated: 9/1/2025

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