Statoil in minor Mim find

Statoil made a 1-5 Bcm gas discovery at the Mim prospect in the Norwegian Sea, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD).

Map from the NPD.

The finds were made at wildcat well 6507/3-12 and appraisal well 6507/3-12 A, in production license 159 B. The wells were drilled by the Deep Sea Bergen about 6km east of the Alve field in the northern part of the Norwegian Sea, and about 200km west of Sandnessjøen.

The primary exploration target for wildcat well 6507/3-12 was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (Garn and Not formations). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (Ile formation). Statoil also aimed to collect geological data if Cretaceous sandstone rocks were present.

Well 6507/3-12 encountered a total gas column of about 7m in a Late Cretaceous sandstone layer with good reservoir properties. In the primary and secondary exploration targets, the well encountered about 30m of aquiferous sandstone in the Garn and Not formations, and about 65m of aquiferous sandstone in the Ile and Tofte formations, all with good to moderate reservoir properties, according to the NPD.

Well 6507/3-12 was drilled to a vertical depth of 3428m below the sea surface, and was terminated in the Tofte formation in the Early Jurassic.

At well 6507/3-12 A, the primary target for was to delineate the Cretaceous gas discovery (Lysing formation). The appraisal well was stopped due to technical issues regarding presumed gas-filled sandstone, and no further attempts were made to drill at the well.

Well 6507/3-12 A was drilled to a vertical depth of 2529m below the sea surface and was terminated in the Springar or Nise formation in the Late Cretaceous. Water depth is 381m.

The NPD says that preliminary estimations place the size of the discovery between 1 Bcm and 5 Bcm of recoverable gas. The partners will now assess the discovery along with other nearby discoveries/prospects with regard to a possible development.

The wells will be permanently plugged and abandoned.

The Deep Sea Bergen will be mobilized to the Åsgard field in the Norwegian Sea to complete production well 6506/12-S-4 BH.

Statoil is the operator of PL159 Bwith 85% interest. Partner Dong E&P Norge holds the remaining 15%.