Operator Dong E&P Norge has hit pay in its Ipswich exploration well near the Oselvar discovery in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) said.
Wildcat well 1/3-11 and sidetrack 1/3-11 T2 were drilled around 10km south of the 1/3-6 Oselvar find, with the aim of proving up petroleum in Paleocene Age reservoir rocks.
The well proved an oil column of at least 60 metres with reservoir properties comparable to the reservoir rocks in the Oselvar discovery, the NPD said.
The well was not tested, but the discovery in the main well was further explored by a sidetrack well where coring, pressure measurement and liquid sampling were carried out.
The well is the third exploration well to be drilled in production licence 274, which was awarded in the North Sea Awards 2001(NSA2001).
The main well was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,232 metres and the sidetrack to 3,465 metres subsea, and both were terminated in rocks of early Paleocene age. They were drilled in 72 metres water depth with the Mærsk Guardian rig.