Results from a new appraisal well on the 2008 Afrodite gas-condensate discovery in the Norwegian North Sea suggest recoverable volumes could be more than double previous estimates, Equinor and DNO reported on Oct. 29.

The Deepsea Yantai semisubmersible rig drilled the high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) branch well 35/7-2 in 376 m of water on PL293, operated by Wellesley Petroleum. The location is 35 km northeast of the Equinor-operated Kvitebjørn Field. 

It was only the second well on the license since it was awarded in 2003. Eni operated the original discovery.

According to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate, the 35/7-2 well encountered a 69-m gas/condensate column in the Tarbert Formation and the upper part of the Ness Formation, and a 4-m gas/condensate column in the lower part of the Ness Formation.

Equinor, which has a 60% interest in PL293, now estimates recoverable volumes of gas and condensate in the range of 77 MMboe to 180 MMboe.

"We have long had faith in the Afrodite discovery, and this appraisal well has uncovered volumes far above expectations," said Kjetil Hove, Equinor's EVP for Exploration & Production Norway.

Equinor considers the discovery commercially viable and will continue to work on a potential subsea tieback development to the Kvitebjørn platform. The gas could be exported through existing pipeline infrastructure to the Kollsnes processing plant in Øygarden, then on to the European market.

Earlier this year, Wellesley and Equinor had agreed to form a joint exploration project focused on increased drilling of HP/HT prospects in the northern North Sea.

DNO, another partner in Afrodite and in Kvitebjørn, said the well results had improved understanding of reservoir distribution across the structure, which is contained within tight reservoir rocks. The most likely development option would include extensive reservoir stimulation, the company added.

DNO acquired its position in Afrodite earlier this year under a multi-asset swap agreement with Equinor that also established Kvitebjørn as a new core area for DNO. The same deal gave the company a 19% interest in the nearby Atlantis discovery, another Kvitebjørn tieback candidate approaching a final investment decision.

In the same area, DNO has a 30% stake in the Carmen discovery. An appraisal well earlier this year led to a recover estimate of 21 MMboe to 107 MMboe from the tight reservoirs. Carmen, like Afrodite, will likely benefit from hydraulic fracturing, the company reported.