Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway -- Statoil’s latest Barents Sea exploration effort was a dry hole, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.
Well 7119/12-4 was drilled by the semisub Polar Pioneer in 192 m (630 ft) of water, 145 km (90 mi) northwest of Hammerfest and 40 km (24.8 mi) south of the 7120/8-1 Askeladd gas field (part of the Snøhvit development).
The main aim of the well was to prove petroleum in Mid-Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Stø formation). The secondary exploration target, the late-Triassic age Snadd formation, was not reached.
This was the first well drilled on production license 488, which was awarded under Norway’s APA 2007 licensing round.
Statoil has retained thePolar Pioneer for another wildcat in Barents Sea license 532PL, well 7220/8-1.
In the Norwegian North Sea, Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has cleared ConocoPhillips Skandinavia to drill an exploratory well 65 km (40.4 mi) north-northwest of Ekofisk.
The well will be drilled by the jackup Mærsk Gallant in 70 m (230 ft) water depth in license PL 301. The program is due to start next month, and is scheduled to last 162 days.
02/18/2011
