Exploration well 34/4-12 S uncommercial

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway -- North Sea exploration well 34/4-12 S is dry, says operator Statoil. The well encountered a limited oil column -- reservoir qualities of sand and shale rocks were below company expectations and not commercially viable.

The well’s objective was to confirm petroleum in upper Triassic reservoir rocks in the Lunde formation. Drilling, data gathering, and sampling are complete, although the well was not formation tested.

The semisub Ocean Vanguard drilled the well to 2,940 m (9,646 ft) TVD below sea level. The well was completed in the lower part of the Lunde formation.

02/10/2010