Norweigan Shelf Summary – First Six Months of 2017
Thursday 13 July 2017
The activity level on the Norwegian shelf is high. During the first six months of the year, six discoveries were made, six development plans have been submitted and three new fields have started producing.
Petroleum production
Total petroleum production so far in 2017 is about 119.9 million standard cubic metres of oil equivalents (Sm3 o.e.). Of this, 47.5 million Sm3 are oil and 11.4 million Sm3 are NGL and condensate. 61 billion Sm3 of gas have been sold. The total volume is 1.4 million Sm3 o.e. higher than in 2016.
Exploration
During the first half of the year, 15 exploration wells were drilled; nine wildcat wells and six appraisal wells. Six discoveries were made; two in the North Sea, two in the Norwegian Sea and two in the Barents Sea.
In the North Sea, gas was discovered in Statoil’s wildcat well 34/11-6 S near the Valemon field. The preliminary estimate for the discovery is between 3 and 8 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e.
Oil and gas were proven in Statoil’s wildcat well 34/10-55 S northeast of the Gullfaks field in the North Sea. Preliminary resource estimates are between 1 and 3 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e.
Two appraisal wells have also been drilled in the North Sea; Statoil’s well 16/2-22 S delineated the Johan Sverdrup field. The well encountered a 15-metre oil column in a moderate to poor reservoir. The original resource estimate of 302-477 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e. is unchanged.
Lundin’s well 16/1-27 delineated the Edvard Grieg field. The well encountered a 15-metre oil column in a very good reservoir. The resource estimate, which was 35 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e. before this well was drilled, will be increased by between 1.6 and 4.8 million Sm3.
In the Norwegian Sea, Statoil proved oil and gas northwest of the Norne field in wildcat well 6608/10-17 S. The preliminary estimate for the discovery is between 3 and 13 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e.
A gas discovery was made in wildcat well 6507/3-12, which Statoil drilled east of the Alve field. The preliminary estimate is between 1 and 5 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e. The drilling of appraisal well 6507/3-12 A was stopped due to technical difficulties.
In the Barents Sea, Lundin discovered oil and gas in wildcat well 7219/12-1 and appraisal well 7219/12-1 A northwest of the Alta discovery. The preliminary volume estimate is between 5.5 and 16 million Sm3 of recoverable o.e.
Statoil made an oil discovery in wildcat well 7219/9-2 about 23 kilometres southwest of discovery well 7220/8-1, Johan Castberg. Preliminary calculations show that the discovery contains between 4 and 8 million Sm3 of recoverable oil.
One appraisal well was drilled in the Barents Sea this year. Lundin’s well 7120/1-5 on the Gohta discovery encountered a poor reservoir with traces of hydrocarbons and is classified as dry. The original resource estimate of 10-21 million Sm3 of recoverable oil and 5-8 million Sm3 of recoverable gas will be reduced as a result of this.
Planned exploration wells in the second half of the year
Between 20 and 25 exploration wells are planned in the second half of 2017. There could be between eight and ten wells in both the Barents Sea and North Sea, while there could be as many as five in the Norwegian Sea. Of these, three are ongoing, 7121/8-1 and 7220/11-4 in the Barents Sea and 31/7-2 S in the North Sea.