Statoil Makes Deepwater Gas Discovery

Statoil has discovered gas in the Midnattsol prospect in the Norwegian Sea, Rigzone reported. The find was made in exploration well 6405/10-1 in production license 281.

Midnattsol is located some 40 kilometers north of the Ormen Lange field and 30 kilometers south of the Ellida find. The well was drilled in a water depth of 3,044 ft. to a total depth of 10,360 ft. below sea level. Gas was encountered in a reservoir of the late Cretaceous.

Core samples have been taken and an extremely thorough data acquisition program carried out. The collected data will be analyzed to estimate the discovery's size and production characteristics. It is too early at this stage to declare the find commercial.

Midnattsol will be permanently plugged and abandoned. The Transocean Leader drilling rig will now be taken over by Eni. The licensees in production license 281, blocks 6405/4, 7 and 10 are Statoil with a 50% interest, EON Ruhrgas (20%), Petoro (20%) and ConocoPhillips with 10%. Source: Rigzone