Aker BP strikes gas in Norwegian Sea

Aker BP has hit gas after drilling the Storjo exploration well at production licence 261 near in the Skarv field in the Norwegian Sea, the company said on July 13, estimating the size of the find at between 25 and 80mn barrels of oil equivalent.

Further delineation of the discovery will take place in 2023, Aker BP said. The company operates the licence with a 70% interest, while Wintershall Dea has 30%.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate noted separately that Aker BP's well had encountered two some 50 m of gas-bearing sandstone rocks in the Middle Jurassic layer, and two gas columns of 44 m and 109 m in size in the Middle and Lower Jurassic layers. An additional column of 4 m, as well as an oil column of 3 m, was found in Cretaceous rock.

This is the first exploration well to be drilled at production licence 261. It measured a vertical depth of 4,904 m, in waters 336 m. The borehole will be plugged and abandoned, and the Deepsea Nordkapp rig used to sink it will move on to production licence 941 in the Norwegian Sea, also operated by Aker BP, to work on a wildcat well.