Oil and gas discovery in the North Sea (30/8-7 S)

Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 3-8 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of oil equivalent (o.e.). This corresponds to between 19 and 50 million barrels of o.e.
30/8-7 S is the fifth exploration well to be drilled in production licence 190, which was awarded in the 14th licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf (1993).

The licensees (Equinor (operator), Petoro and TotalEnergies), are looking into potential options for tying the discovery back to existing infrastructure in the Oseberg area. The well was drilled in the same production licence as the Tune field, and near the Oseberg Sør field, both of which are operated by Equinor.

Exploration well 30/8-7 S was drilled by the Deepsea Bergen rig, which will now proceed to the Visund Sør field to drill a development well. 

Geological information

The primary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks in the Tarbert Formation. 
The secondary exploration target for the well was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic rocks in the Ness and Etive formations.

Well 30/8-7 S encountered a combined oil and gas column totalling 54 metres (39-metre gas column and 15-metre oil column) in the Tarbert Formation. The total thickness of the Tarbert Formation was 264 metres, 111 metres of which were sandstone with moderate to good reservoir properties. 

In the secondary exploration target in the Ness Formation, the well encountered a sandstone layer totalling 289 metres with variable reservoir quality from poor to very good. The reservoir was aquiferous with a few potential hydrocarbon-filled zones. In the Etive Formation, the well encountered aquiferous sandstones totalling ten metres, with moderate reservoir quality.

The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 3752 metres below sea level, and was terminated in the Drake Formation in the Lower Jurassic.

Extensive data has been collected and samples have been taken. 

Water depth at the site is 96 metres. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.