Wellesley Petroleum Confirms Gas/Condensate Discovery in Offshore Norway
Wellesley Petroleum AS, the operator of production license 1148, has announced a significant gas and condensate discovery in wildcat wells 35/10-10 S and 35/10-10 A (Carmen prospect) offshore Norway. This discovery has been confirmed by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).
The wells are situated approximately 25 km northwest of the Troll field and 150 km northwest of Bergen.
The primary exploration goal for well 35/10-10 S was to identify petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks within the Etive and Oseberg formations of the Brent Group. Additionally, the well aimed to discover petroleum in the Early Jurassic Cook Formation as a secondary target.
Appraisal well 35/10-10 A was drilled to identify the petroleum-water contact at a lower structural position and to gather liquid samples from the aquifer.
In well 35/10-10 S, a 210-meter gas-condensate column was encountered in the Ness, Etive, and Oseberg formations, with 90 meters of sandstone reservoir of poor to moderate quality. The Cook Formation revealed a 70-meter gas-condensate column, including 23 meters of sandstone reservoir with poor quality. Additionally, a 13-meter oil column was found in the Early Jurassic Amundsen Formation of the Dunlin Group, all 13 meters being sandstone reservoir with poor quality.
Well 35/10-10 A, drilled 900 meters west of the main well, encountered a 240-meter gas-condensate column in the Ness, Etive, Oseberg, and Cook formations, with 50 meters of sandstone reservoir of poor to moderate quality. Water was found in the Cook Formation at a vertical depth of 4,158 meters below sea level.
Preliminary estimates suggest the discovery size ranges between 9 and 46 million standard cubic meters (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalent. The licensees will start early-phase development studies and consider additional appraisal wells for the discovery.
Well 35/10-10 S reached a vertical depth of 4,030 meters below sea level, ending in the Amundsen Formation of the Early Jurassic, while well 35/10-10 A reached 4,212 meters, terminating in the Cook Formation of the Early Jurassic. Both wells underwent extensive data acquisition and sampling.
These are the first exploration wells in production licence 1148, awarded in APA2021. The water depth at the drilling site is 360 meters, and both wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned.
The drilling operations were carried out by the Deepsea Yantai semi-submersible rig, which will next drill wildcat well 25/7-11 S in production licence 984 in the North Sea, operated by DNO Norge AS.
Earlier in June, Wellesley's partner DNO announced this "significant" gas and condensate discovery at the Carmen prospect, claiming it to be the largest offshore discovery in Norway since 2013.
Offshore Engineer has uncovered data on the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate's website, revealing that Norway's largest offshore discovery in 2013 was the Wisting field, discovered by then-operator OMV in the Barents Sea.
In late 2021, OMV sold its stake in the Wisting project to Lundin Energy. Subsequently, in July 2022, Lundin's oil and gas business was acquired by Aker BP, consolidating ownership and operational control.
So, how significant is the Wisting discovery? According to information published on Equinor's website in February 2022, the Wisting discovery is described as being of "considerable" size, with an estimated 500 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Equinor, which holds a significant stake in the Wisting project, initially planned to submit a plan of development and operation (PDO) for the Wisting discovery by the end of 2022. However, the company postponed the submission of the PDO until 2026. This decision was based on a comprehensive assessment, including the impact of global supply chain bottlenecks, which have affected the timely and cost-effective development of large-scale projects.
The delay in the Wisting project highlights the complexities and challenges faced by the oil and gas industry, particularly in the current global economic climate. Supply chain issues, fluctuating market conditions, and regulatory considerations all play critical roles in the planning and execution of such large projects.
The Wisting field, with its substantial reserves, represents a major asset in Norway's offshore portfolio and holds the potential to significantly contribute to the country's oil production in the coming years. However, the postponement of the PDO indicates that stakeholders are taking a cautious approach to ensure that the development is both economically viable and sustainable in the long term.
As the industry continues to navigate these challenges, the Wisting discovery remains a key focus for Equinor and its partners, who are working towards overcoming these obstacles to bring the field into production. The careful planning and strategic decisions being made now will play a crucial role in the successful development of the Wisting field and its contribution to Norway's energy future.
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