Statoil drills two dry wells in North Sea's Volve field

Statoil drills two dry wells in North Sea's Volve field

STAVANGER -- Statoil Petroleum AS, operator of production licences 046 and 046 BS, has completed the drilling of wells 15/9-F-1 and 15/9-F-1 A on the Volve field, located between the Sleipner West and Sleipner East fields in the central North Sea.

The purpose of the wells 15/9-F-1 and 15/9-F-1 A was to determine higher additional resources for the Volve field by proving petroleum in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks (the Hugin formation) in the northwestern part of the field. Well 15/9-F-1 did not encounter the Hugin formation as expected, but the Smith Bank formation in Triassic due to a fault in the rock. A decision was therefore made to drill sidetrack well 15/9-F-1 A. The well encountered the Hugin formation with a reservoir thickness of approx. 47 m, with poorer than anticipated reservoir quality. The Smith Bank and Hugin formation are aquiferous, and the wells have accordingly been classified as dry.

Data was collected in the wells. The licences were awarded in the 3rd licensing round in 1975 production licence 046 and production licence 046 BS.

Wells 15/9-1 and 15/9-1 A were drilled to vertical depths of 3,275 and 3,185 metres below sea level, respectively, with total depths of 3,577 and 3,627 metres below sea level, respectively. 15/9-F-1 and 15/9-F-1 A were concluded in the Smith Bank formation in Triassic and the Sleipner formation in Middle Jurassic, respectively. The wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned. Water depth at the site is 91 metres.

Wells 15/9-F-1 and 15/9-F-1 A were drilled by the drilling and production facility Maersk Inspirer.