Spirit Energy Norway (60%, operator) and partner Aker BP (40%) last week started drilling well 16/1-33S in PL 780, hoping to find hydrocarbons in Triassic Skagerrak, Middle Jurassic Sleipner and Upper Jurassic Hugin Formation sandstones of the Sørvesten prospect. The top of the reservoir is expected at approximately 2820 m below sea level.
The prospect is located just west of Utsira High, on the Gudrun Terrace.
According to documents submitted by the operator to the Environment Directorate, the Sleipner Formation is likely to present in the Sørvesten prospect, while the presence of Hugin and Skagerrak sandstones carries a higher risk. Spirit Energy also identified seal failure as a risk.
The well is located in between the Hanz field in the north at approximately 3 kilometres whilst the Ivar Aasen field is about the same distance southwards. The Hanz field, which has been approved for development, contains oil with a gas cap in Upper Jurassic intra-Draupne sandstones. The reservoirs in Ivar Aasen, which has been producing since late 2016, are in Skagerrak and Sleipner fluvial sandstones as well as in Hugin shallow marine sands.
Migris, the company that describes and reduces geological and economical exploration risk by simulating geological processes and visualizing the results in interactive 3D-models, predicts this well to be a class B well with flowrisk value of 60%, which means that the predicted pre-drill probability of charging oil or gas is only 25% in the Hugin and Sleipner fm.
HENK KOMBRINK
