THE Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has reported that the exploration well drilled by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia on block 2/4 of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea failed to encounter hydrocarbons.
The NPD said the high-pressure, high-temperature well 2/4-20 was drilled in production licence PL018 with the jack-up drilling rig, Maersk Gallant, some eight kilometres north of the Ekofisk field. It was drilled to test two prospective levels of the Middle Late Jurassic and Permian ages which defined the North Ekofisk prospect. The well was drilled to a total vertical depth of 5,673m (18,613ft) below sea level.
NPD also reported that Marathon’s exploration well drilled on the Bjorn Prospect in Block 31/1 of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea failed to encounter hydrocarbons.
The directorate said that the well, drilled with the semi-submersible, Bredford Dolphin, at a site west of the Troll field and 25km north-east of the Oseberg field, was intended to prove petroleum in several levels of sandstone of the Jurassic age Bjorn prospect. However, although sediments with the expected thickness and reservoir qualities were found in the reservoir rocks, they were all water-bearing. The well is the first exploration well to be drilled onproduction licence PL311, awarded in 2003. It was drilled to a vertical depth of 2,895m (9,498ft) below sea level and has since been plugged and abandoned.
Marathon is operator of Block 31/1 and the Bjorn well, with 37.5% interest, with Talisman Energy, holding another 37.5%, and Dana Petroleum Norway the remaining 25%.