Wintershall Norge makes small discovery in the North Sea

STAVANGER, Norway -- Wintershall Norge AS, operator of production licence 248, has completed the drilling of wildcat wells 35/8-6 S and 35/8-6 A.

The wells were drilled about 5 km northwest of the Vega field in the North Sea and 150 km northwest of Bergen. The purpose of both wells was to prove petroleum in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks (sandstone in the Heather formation).

Well 35/8-6 S encountered a poorly developed reservoir in the Heather formation. The well is dry.

Well 35/8-6 A encountered a 3-m oil column in the Heather formation with poor reservoir quality.

Preliminary estimates concerning the size of the discovery range between 0.2 and 1 million standard cubic metres of recoverable oil.

Extensive data collection and sampling have been undertaken.

These are the sixth and seventh exploration wells in production licence 248. The licence was awarded in the North Sea Awards 1999.

Wells 35/8-6 S and 35/8-6 A were drilled to a measured depth of 4043 m and 3800 m, respectively, below sea level and to a vertical depth of 3713 m and 3529 metres, respectively, below sea level. Both were terminated in the Heather formation.

The sea depth is 381 m. The wells have now been permanently plugged and abandoned.

Wells 35/8-6 S and 35/8-6 A were drilled by Borgland Dolphin, which is now heading for production licence 248 F in the North Sea to drill wildcat well 35/11-19 S, which is operated by Wintershall Norge AS.