Statoil Gains Sverdrup Appraisal Permit
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Statoil has secured a permit to drill a further appraisal well aimed at proving up more resources at its under-development Johan Sverdrup field off Norway.
The 16/2-22S probe, which already has the safety green light, will be drilled by semi-submersible Deepsea Atlantic to target a north-west extension of the giant North Sea field in a water depth of 110 metres in Statoil-operated production licence 265.
The well will be drilled in the Tonjer West segment of the field reservoir, about two kilometres north-west of the earlier 16/2-9S well that made a minor oil discovery at the Aldous Major North prospect in 2011.
It will be the 16th exploration well to be drilled in the licence, operated by Statoil with a 40% stake, with partners Petoro (30%), Aker BP (20%) and Lundin Norway (10%).
The field, which is currently estimated to hold between 1.7 billion and 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent, is due to be brought on stream in the fourth quarter of 2019 through a four-platform hub.