Equinor finds gas in the Norwegian Sea, brings Utgard onstream

Sept. 17, 2019

Offshore staff

STAVANGER, NorwayEquinor and partners Aker BP and Wellesley Petroleum have proven gas in the Ørn prospect in the Norwegian Sea.

The semisubmersible West Phoenix drilled well 6507/2-5 S in 332 m (1,089 ft) of water in production license 942, 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of the Marulk field.

Equinor estimates recoverable resources at 14 MMcmoe, equivalent to 50-88 MMbbl of oil.

“The discovery follows several discoveries we have made in the same area during the past years, adding considerable volumes in an area with an already developed infrastructure,” said Nick Ashton, senior vice president for exploration in Norway and the UK.

This was also the first well on the license, issued under Norway’s 2017 awards in predefined areas process.

In the North Sea, Equinor has started production from the Utgard gas and condensate field on the Norwegian-UK North Sea median line. Recoverable resources are around 40 MMboe.

Development involved drilling two wells from a subsea template on the Norwegian side tied back to the Sleipner field via a pipeline and an umbilical. Peak production will reach around 43,000 boe/d.

Utgard will be remotely operated from the Sleipner field, where its well stream will be processed.

Dry gas will be transported through the Gassled pipeline system, with liquids sent through an existing pipeline to Kårstø, western Norway, for further export to Europe. Utgard will also use Sleipner’s facility for carbon-dioxide purification and storage.

In 2016, Equinor acquired the UK portion of the field, which had been discovered in 1982, in order to take the development forward.

The company completed the project NOK900 million ($100.4 million) below the original cost estimate of NOK3.5 billion ($390 million).

“We will continue to seek cross-border opportunities to add value on both sides of the border,” said Arne Gürtner, senior vice president for UK and Ireland Offshore at Equinor.

09/17/2019