Aker BP completes drilling of wildcat northeast of the North Sea's Alvheim field

STAVANGER -- Aker BP ASA, operator of production license 442, has completed the drilling of wildcat well 25/2-21 (Liatårnet).

The well was drilled about 40 km northeast of Alvheim field in the central part of the North Sea, and about 200 km northwest of Stavanger.

The primary and secondary exploration targets for the well were to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Early Miocene period (the Skade formation).

Well 25/2-21 encountered an oil column in the primary exploration target of about 28 m in sand layers with extremely good reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not encountered. The secondary exploration target consisted of a water-bearing sand layer of about 12 m, also with extremely good reservoir quality.

Preliminary estimates indicate the size of the discovery is between 13 and 32 MMscm of recoverable oil. The flow potential and recovery rate are uncertain and will have to be clarified prior to preparation of a possible development plan.

The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.

This is the ninth exploration well in production license 442. The license was awarded in APA 2006.

The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 1,170 m below the sea surface and was terminated in rocks from the Oligocene age (the Hordaland group). Water depth at the site is 110 m. The well has now been permanently plugged and abandoned.

The well was drilled by the Deepsea Stavanger drilling facility, which will now move on to the Norwegian Sea to drill wildcat well 6608/6-1 in production license 762, der Aker BP ASA is the operator.