The well was drilled by the COSL Innovator drilling rig. Photo: COSL Drilling Europe

Equinor Energy AS, the operator of production licence 090, has discovered oil and gas in wildcat well 35/11-31 S.

The well was drilled 9 kilometres north of the Troll field and 97 kilometres southwest of Florø.

The discovery is estimated at between 0.1 – 1.1 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalent (o.e.). This corresponds to between 0.6 and 6.9 million barrels of recoverable o.e.

The licensees will consider tying the discovery into future or existing infrastructure in the area.

This is the 24th exploration well in production licence 090, which was awarded on 9 March 1984 (8th licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS)).

Well 35/11-31 S was drilled by the COSL Innovator drilling rig, which is moving on to drill wildcat well 34/8-20 S in production licence 554 E.

Geological information

The well's primary target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Late Jurassic (Sognefjord Formation). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Middle Jurassic (Brent Group) and the Late Palaeocene.

Well 35/11-31 S encountered a 5-metre oil column in the Sognefjord Formation, about 36 metres of which consists of sandstone with very good reservoir properties.

A 4-metre gas column was encountered in the secondary exploration target, in a 68-metre thick sandstone layer with moderate to good reservoir properties. In the Lista Formation, the well encountered aquiferous sandstone with very good reservoir properties.

The well was not formation-tested, but extensive volumes of data and samples were collected.

Well 35/11-31 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 2636 metres below sea level and was terminated in the Oseberg Formation from the Middle Jurassic.

Water depth at the site is 354 metres, and the well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.

The licensees are: Equinor Energy AS: 45%, Vår Energi ASA: 40% and INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS: 15%.

Key facts

• The well was drilled by COSL Innovator.
• The discoveries were made in exploration well 35/11-31 S in production licence 090.
• The other discoveries made in this area since 2019 are: Echino South, Swisher, Røver North, Blasto, Toppand, Kveikje, Røver South, Heisenberg, Crino/Mulder, Rhombi and Ringand.
• Echino South and Blasto, together with two smaller discoveries from previous years, form the basis for the development of Fram South. The plan for development and operation of this subsea development was submitted to the authorities in June this year.

KeyFacts Energy: Equinor Norway country profile   l   KeyFacts Energy: Discovery news