Westwood Global Energy reports that there were five E&A wells active as of 31 August, comprising two exploration wells and three appraisal wells.
Key wells drilling in August include the Dugong Tail exploration well and high impact Liatårnet appraisal well. A total of 18 exploration wells have completed to date in 2021, from which seven commercial discoveries have been made giving a 39% commercial success rate to date.
North Sea
Neptune spudded the 33/6-5 S Dugong Tail well targeting Upper Jurassic Intra-Draupne Formation and Middle Jurassic Brent Group Rannoch Formation sandstones in a downthrown fault block terrace trap. If successful a discovery will be incorporated into the 2020 Dugong discovery which is likely to be developed as either a tie-back to the Snorre B field facilities or a standalone development. The combination of resources in the Dugong discovery and success in-line with pre-drill expectations at Dugong Tail could deliver combined commercial resources of over 100 mmboe. The top hole for Dugong Tail is expected to be drilled, then the rig moved to carry out a DST on the 34/4-16 S Dugong appraisal well.
The Aker BP 25/2-22 S Liatårnet appraisal well was re-entered on 3 August. The well was spudded 23 March with the Deepsea Nordkapp but was temporarily suspended on c. 28 March when the rig mobilised to the Barents Sea to drill two wells. The well was re-entered on 3 August and completed on 24 August. The well was appraising the Miocene sandstone play that was discovered in 2019 with the 25/2-20, 21 wells. At the time of discovery, resources were estimated at c. 150 mmboe, making this a high impact discovery. The well encountered a 31m (102ft) reservoir interval, with only the upper 5m (16ft) containing traces of oil. The results will downgrade the discovery volumes which have yet to be announced.
In August, DNO spudded the 2/5-15 Gomez exploration well and Wintershall DEA completed operations at the 31/4-A-1 Talisker East exploration well (result pending) at the end of July. Operations remain ongoing at Lundin’s 16/1-34 S Lille Prinsen appraisal well.
Norwegian Sea
In June, Wintershall DEA’s 6406/3-10 Bergknapp discovery well was re-entered to complete data acquisition, including a DST, that was unable to be performed in the discovery well due to COVID-19 and associated restrictions.
In addition, Equinor spudded the 6507/3-14 Black Vulture appraisal well on the 28 July.
Barents Sea
There is no current drilling in the Barents Sea. The next well expected to be drilled is Var Energi’s 7122/6-3 Rødhette exploration well.
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