As announced on Friday last week, Lundin Energy hit oil near Solveig with 16/4-13S but the oil column is the thinnest of the five Solveig exploration and appraisal wells drilled so far.
Together with partners OMV (20%) and Wintershall (15%), Lundin Energy drilled a compartment to the northwest of Solveig called Segment D, which can again be separated into the Synrift and Western Wegde prospects. It is believed that well 16/4-13S penetrated the Synrift prospect in the east. The minor oil column and the resulting small volumes probably made the partnership decide not to drill any further side tracks.
The Solveig discovery is the southernmost accumulation on the Utsira High. During a recent investor presentation Lundin Energy showed that the discovery, which hosts oil and a rim of gas in Triassic and Rotliegend sandstones, contains between 40-100 MMboe without taking Segment D into account.
Entire reservoir penetrated
Assuming that the 10 m oil column was found at the top of the Triassic conglomeratic succession, it is striking that the entire 380 m section of reservoir was penetrated by the well, as the press release suggests. It may have something to do with the fact that multiple oil migration episodes have been proposed in Solveig and that in wells such as 16/4-8S no clear oil water contact could be established from well data. In addition, in well 16/4-11 oil shows were reported below the oil water contact. These observations may have caused the partnership to decide to drill the entire reservoir section to exclude the risk of missing pay.
Still a potential tie-in to Solveig
Preliminary estimates suggest that the 16/4-13S discovery adds between 3 and 8 MMboe recoverable to the Solveig development. With Lundin Energy initially hoping to add up to 25 MMboe with the well, the results must be slightly disappointing. However, the discovery will still be assessed as a future tie-in.
Well 16/4-13 S was drilled by the West Bollsta drilling facility, which is now drilling production well 16/4-BA-1H on Solveig.
HENK KOMBRINK
