Well Slot is a monthly feature where Westwood’s Stephen Coomber looks at drilling activity and rig moves in UK and Norwegian waters.
UK Offshore Well Slot October 2024
As of 28 October, Westwood Global Energy reports there are three exploration wells active on the UKCS, Gilderoy in the CNS and Selene and Baker in the SNS. Since the previous report, no wells have spudded or completed.
The Shell-operated 48/8b-3, 3Z Selene well spudded on 28 July with the Valaris 123 jack-up rig.
JV partner Deltic announced on 21 October that the well reached a TD of 3540m on 17 October, having encountered a 160m thick reservoir with gas throughout.
Wireline logging and fluid sampling operations are ongoing.
The well was targeting the Permian, Rotliegend Group, Leman Sandstone Formation in a low relief NW – SE trending horst block, dip closed to the NW and SE.
Top seal is provided by the overlying Permian Silverpit Formation shales and Zechstein Group evaporites.
The key risks for Selene were trap definition due to depth conversion sensitivity from overburden complexity due to salt swells and late Cretaceous to Tertiary inversion, and reservoir quality due to maximum depth of burial.
JV partner Deltic Energy had quoted pre-drill P90-P50-P10 resources of 132 – 318 – 581 bcf with a CoGS of 69%.
In a success case, an 18km tie-back to the Shell-operated Barque field infrastructure is planned, which is tied back to the Clipper North hub.
Further appraisal is not considered necessary to make an FID.
© Supplied by NobleThe 47/3f-16 Baker well, operated by Petrogas, spudded on 12 September with the Noble Resilient jack-up rig.
The well is targeting the Permian Rotliegend Group Leman Sandstone Formation in a moderate relief fault block, dipping to the SW, that requires three faults to seal.
The key risks are fault seal and reservoir quality, the latter related to burial compaction and the potential presence of pore-blocking fibrous illite.
Cornerstone Resources farmed down 70% of its 100% equity to Petrogas in October 2022 and recently farmed out its remaining equity to Petrogas, who is now the sole equity holder.
Cornerstone quoted pre-drill P50 resources for the Baker prospect of c. 56 bcf (9.5 mmboe).
In a success case, a 10km tie-back to the Harbour-operated Tolmount field platform is most likely, though the Minerva hub, 8km to the east, is closer.
The Harbour Energy-operated 15/28b-10 Gilderoy well was spudded on 15 September with the Paul B. Loyd Jr semi-sub.
The well is targeting the Eocene Cromarty Member sandstone in a four-way dip structure.
There is a secondary target in a Paleocene Forties Sandstone Member turbidite channel, as an extension of the Greenwell prospect to the NW of the Callanish field. JV guided pre-drill resources are c. 10 mmboe.
It is understood that the well has been successful in finding hydrocarbons, but no details have been released.
Norway Well Slot October 2024
As of 28 October, Westwood Global Energy reports that there are five exploration and two appraisal wells active on the NCS, with Falstaff in the CNS, Kaldafjell, Rhombi-CNØ and Kvernbit & Mimung in the NNS, Løvmeis and Sabina (appraisal) in the Norwegian Sea, and Countach (appraisal) in the Barents Sea.
Since the previous report, the Storjo West appraisal well was announced as completing in September.
The Kaldafjell, Countach and Løvmeis wells were spudded.
© Supplied by COSLBarents Sea
The Vår Energi-operated 7122/8-2 S Countach well was spudded on 8 October with the COSL Prospector semi-sub.
The well is appraising the 7122/8-1 S Countach oil and gas discovery in the Middle Jurassic – Middle Triassic.
Vår Energi reported pre-appraisal resources of 21 mmboe.
Norwegian Sea
The 6608/10-R-2 H Løvmeis well, operated by Equinor, was spudded on 2 October with the Transocean Encourage semi-sub.
The well is targeting the Middle – Lower Jurassic.
In a success case, the operator would tie into existing infrastructure, with first oil expected 2026.
Petrolia NOCO reported a pre-drill STOOIP range of 6 – 35 mmboe, with a CoS >65%.
The Wintershall DEA-operated 6507/4-5 S Sabina appraisal well was spudded on 26 August with the Transocean Norge semi-sub.
The well is appraising the Upper Cretaceous oil discovery made in 2021, with pre-appraisal resources of 22.9 mmboe.
The Aker BP-operated 6507/2-7 S Storjo West & Kaneljo well was completed on 19 September, after being spudded on 9 June with the Deepsea Nordkapp.
The Storjo structure is dissected by a fault/graben with eastern and western portions in an overall four-way dip closed structure.
The well appraised the Upper Cretaceous Kaneljo and the Middle – Lower Jurassic Storjo West targets, encountering gas in both.
A DST flowed at a maximum rate of 10.6 mmscfd and total resources for the Storjo structure are 21 – 67 mmboe.
© Supplied by OdfjellNorth Sea
The 34/6-7 S Kaldafjell well, operated by Aker BP, was spudded on 11 October with the Deepsea Nordkapp semi-sub.
The HPHT well is targeting the Lower Jurassic. Aker BP reports a pre-drill resource range of 12 – 140 mmboe.
The DNO-operated 2/6-7 S Falstaff well was spudded on 20 September with the Noble Invincible jack-up rig.
The high-impact prospect has an Upper Jurassic target, and a secondary Paleocene target, with pre-drill resources of 25 – 184 mmboe.
The Equinor-operated 30/11-30 S, A Rhombi-CNØ well was spudded on 18 September and sidetracked on 12 October with the Deepsea Atlantic semi-sub.
The well is targeting the Upper and Middle Jurassic with pre-drill resources of 37 mmboe.
The Equinor-operated 35/10-14 S Kvernbit & Mimung HPHT well was spudded on 8 September with the Deepsea Stavanger semi-sub.
The firm ILX well is targeting the Upper to Lower Jurassic with pre-drill mean resources of 79 mmboe.
