Lundin Norway AS, operator of production licence 501, is in the process of completing the drilling of appraisal well 16/3-7 on the 16/2-6 Johan Sverdrup oil discovery in the North Sea.
The discovery was proven in Jurassic reservoir rocks in production licence 501 in the autumn of 2010. Appraisal well 16/3-7 was drilled on the southeast flank of the discovery, about 3.1 kilometres southeast of well 16/3-5 and about 4.2 kilometres southwest of well 16/3-2.
The objective of the well was to investigate the thickness, properties, oil column and depth of the Jurassic reservoir, in order to define the extent of the Johan Sverdrup discovery toward the southeast. The objective also included investigating the reservoir properties of the sandstone rocks in the underlying Rotliegend group in the Permian. The licensees consider the area to be important for the discovery’s drainage strategy as regards water support, as well as the placement of injectors and producers.
The well encountered oil at the very top of the reservoir, which consists of a 14-metre zone, most likely from the Upper Jurassic Age, with very good reservoir quality. The total thickness of the entire Jurassic interval is 27 metres. The Jurassic reservoir sandstone rocks are somewhat thinner and were encountered deeper than expected. Permian carbonate rocks were encountered directly under the Jurassic reservoir. The carbonate reservoir belongs to the Zechstein group, has a thickness of 36 metres and has moderate to good reservoir properties. These carbonate rocks were not expected in the well and are located directly above the rocks belonging to the Rotliegend group. Pressure measurements indicate continuous communication in the water zone above the Jurassic and the Zechstein group’s rocks.
Extensive data collection and sampling have been carried out.
Well 16/3-7 is the 17th exploration well drilled in production licence 501. The licence was awarded on 23 January 2009 in APA 2008.
Appraisal well 16/3-7 was drilled to a vertical depth of 2075 metres below the sea surface and was terminated in Permian rocks. The well will be permanently plugged and abandoned. Water depth is 117 metres.
The well was drilled by the Bredford Dolphin drilling facility, which will now move on to drill appraisal well 16/5-5 in production licence 410, where Lundin Norway AS is the operator.
