RWE finds gas in Zidane

Sept. 16, 2010
RWE Dea Norge has discovered gas in the Zidane-1 wildcat in the Norwegian Sea.

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway -- RWE Dea Norge has discovered gas in the Zidane-1 wildcat in the Norwegian Sea.

Well 6507/7-14S was drilled by the semisubmersible Bredford Dolphin in 344 m (1,128 ft) of water in production license 435, 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of the Statoil-operated Heidrun field.

Its primary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Mid-Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Fangst group). The secondary target was to prove petroleum in Lower Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Tilje formation).
According to partner Noreco, gas was encountered in a 150-m (492-ft) column in the Fangst group, but the Tilje formation was water-bearing. Early estimates put the size of the discovery at 5-18 bcm (177-636 bcf) recoverable. A drill stem test flowed 1.2 MMcm/d (42.38 cf/d) of gas on a 36/64-in. choke.

The Bredford Dolphin now heads to PL 420 in the North Sea to drill wildcat well 35/9-6 S, again operated by RWE Dea Norge.

09/16/2010