Norwegian oil and gas company DNO has spud the Gomez exploration well in production license 006C in the North Sea offshore Norway.
DNO holds a 65 per cent operated interest in the license with the remaining 35 per cent stake being held by Aker BP.
Aker BP originally had a 15 per cent interest but recently acquired another 20 per cent interest in PL006C from DNO under a swap agreement. Under the deal, DNO picked up a 25 per cent participating interest in PL1085 (Tanumåsen) and increased its share from 20 to 30 per cent in PL906 (Mugnetind). The swap is still subject to government approval.
Production licence 006 C was awarded on 9 October 2000 (Round 1-A). This is the fourth exploration well to be drilled in this licence.
DNO said on Monday that the Gomez exploration well was spudded this weekend and will be drilled to a depth of approximately 3,300 meters below sea level, targeting Paleocene age formations.
The Borgland Dolphin rig arrived on location on 7 August following the successful completion of plugging and abandonment of the three wells at the Oselvar field on the DNO-operated license PL274 and commenced drilling the Gomez well which is expected to take 45 days.
Pre-drill estimates range from 26-80 million barrels of oil equivalent. The well is close to existing infrastructure, including the Tor and Ekofisk complexes.
The Gomez well is one of three exploration wells scheduled in 2021. The first well, Røver Nord where DNO holds 20 per cent, resulted in what is likely a commercial discovery. Following Gomez, the third exploration well is Mugnetind expected to spud in the fourth quarter of this year.
To remind, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) granted a drilling permit to DNO for the Gomez well in the last week.
DNO awarded a contract to Dolphin Drilling for one exploration well plus plug and abandonment (P&A) activity on three wells in Norway back in November 2020.
The company is also currently participating in two appraisal drilling campaigns covering previous discoveries made since 2019, namely Bergknapp and Black Vulture in which DNO holds 30 and 32 per cent, respectively.