Equinor Strikes out in Barents Sea

Norway's Equinor has drilled a dry well at the Spissa prospect in the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) reported on December on 4, marking the latest in a series of exploration disappointments in the frontier region.

The well was completed using Seadrill's West Hercules rig some 100 km southwest of Equinor's Snohvit field, which supplies gas to the Hammerfest LNG export terminal. Its primary goal was to prove petroleum in early to middle Jurassic rock, while its secondary target was to prove it in late Triassic to early Jurassic rock.

"Weak traces of petroleum were observed in the sandstones in the Sto formation," the NPD said. "The well has been classified as dry."

Equnior operates production licence 960 where the well was drilled with a 40% interest, while Norwegian partner Petoro has 20%, Sweden's Lundin Energy has 20% and Germany's Wintershall Dea also 20%.

The latest exploration failure comes after Lundin completed a dry well in the Barents Sea east of the Johan Castberg field in November. Equinor and the UK's Spirit Energy also drilled dusters in the region during the summer. These results could affect bidding in Norway's latest frontier licensing round, opened last month, which is heavily focused on the Barents Sea.