The shelf in 2007 - Exploration

14/01/2008 32 exploration wells were spudded in 2007, of which 20 were wildcat wells and 12 were appraisal wells. 33 exploration wells have been completed. In 2006 the NPD expected around 30 exploration wells to be spudded. The NPD believes that the high exploration activity will continue in 2008.

Twelve new discoveries were made in 2007: 8 in the North Sea, 3 in the Norwegian Sea and 1 in the Barents Sea. To date, the total resource growth from new discoveries in 2007 has been estimated at 39-83 million Sm3 of recoverable oil and 15-23 billion Sm3 of recoverable gas. Exploration activity picked up towards the end of 2007. The number of spudded exploration wells in 2008 is expected to be 35 - 40.

In the North Sea, most of the discoveries were made in the Sleipner/Balder area. South of Sleipner, Pertra proved two minor oil discoveries in rocks from the Paleocene Age. The first discovery was made in wildcat well 15/12-18 S, which proved oil in the Ty formation. Appraisal well 15/12-18 A, which was drilled as a side-track, proved oil in the Heimdal formation – at a shallower level than the Ty formation. Just north of Sleipner, Statoil has proven gas/oil in wildcat well 15/6-9 S. The discovery was further delimited by the side-tracks 15/6-9 A and B. The discovery was made in Middle Jurassic rocks.

Three new discoveries were made somewhat further to the east. In wildcat well 16/4-4, Statoil proved small amounts of gas/condensate in the Heimdal formation in Paleocene rocks. In the northerly neighboring block, Lundin found light oil in wildcat well 16/1-8. This discovery was made in coarse clastic Jurassic sandstone. Just to the east of this discovery, Statoil made an oil discovery in wildcat well 16/2-3 in Cretaceous rocks. Shortly thereafter, the discovery was delimited by well 16/2-4. Chalk rocks from the Cretaceous period represent a new element in this part of the North Sea.

Further north in the North Sea, Hydro made two new oil discoveries in wildcat wells 25/11-24 and 35/11-15 S. Both were made in Jurassic rocks and are located south-west of the Grane field and south of the Fram field respectively.

Three minor gas/condensate discoveries were made in the Norwegian Sea. Two are situated near existing infrastructure and were made in rocks from the Jurassic age. In wildcat well 6507/11-8 in the Åsgard area, Statoil found gas, while Norsk Hydro proved oil/gas in wildcat well 6407/7-7 S just north-west of the Njord field. In the deepwater areas north of the Ormen Lange field, Statoil proved gas/condensate in wildcat well 6405/10-1. The well proved gas in poorly developed reservoir rock in the Nise formation from the Cretaceous Age. The results of exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea have otherwise been disappointing.

One oil/gas discovery was made in the Barents Sea in well 7125/4-1, north-west of the 7122/7-1 Goliat discovery. Hydrocarbons were encountered in the Realgrunnen group from the Late Triassic/Early Jurassic Age and in the Kobbe formation in the Middle Triassic Age. The result of the well is considered to be positive as regards the chances of finding oil and gas in this part of the Barents Sea.

New discoveries in 2007 Recoverable resources (preliminary resource figures)

Updated: 04/09/2009

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