Despite achieving a drilling record, Total Norge's ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature Solaris well has been classified as dry.
The well, 1/5-5, was the deepest well drilled on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, according to driller, Maersk Drilling. It reached total depth of 5941m on 31 July, in the Norwegian North Sea, 315km west of Stavanger in 70m water depth.
Earlier this year, Total had said up to 1302 bar and 219 degrees Celsius could be expected at total depth on the well, which spudded using the Maersk Gallant jackup drilling rig in February.
The main exploration target was to prove petroleum in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks (Ula formation). The secondary exploration target was to prove petroleum in Upper Triassic reservoir rocks (Skagerrak formation).
According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, the well encountered about 80m thick sandstone in the Ula formation with moderate to poor reservoir quality. The reservoir only contains traces of gas. The well is classified as dry.
Well 1/5-5 was the first exploration well in production license 618, which was awarded in APA 2011.
The well will now be plugged and abandoned and the Maersk Gallant will move on to the UK North Sea where it will carrying out plugging and abandonment work for Maersk Oil.
Read more
Record well depth reached on Solaris probe
Image: The Maersk Gallant. Photo from Maersk Drilling.
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