VNG Norge strikes out near Njord field in the Norwegian Sea

STAVANGER, Norway -- VNG Norge AS, operator of production license 586, is in the process of completing the drilling of wildcat well 6406/12-5 S. The well was classified as dry.

The well has been drilled about 33 km southwest of Njord field and about five km southeast of the 6406/12-3 S (Pil) discovery in the Norwegian Sea.

The purpose of the well was to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks from the Upper Jurassic (the Rogn and Melke formations). The well encountered about 12 m of sandstone in the Rogn formation with moderate reservoir quality. The well also encountered 31 m of sandstone in intra Spekk formation and 182 m of sandstone in the Melke formation, both with moderate reservoir quality. The reservoir only has traces of oil.

Data acquisition and sampling have been carried out.

This is the sixth exploration well in production license 586. The license was awarded in APA 2010.

Well 6406/12-5 S was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,710 m and a measured depth of 4,297 m below the sea surface and was terminated in the Melke formation in the Upper Jurassic. The water depth at the site is 336 m. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Well 6406/12-5 S was drilled by the Transocean Arctic drilling facility, which now will drill wildcat well 7130/4-1 in production license 708 in the Barents Sea, where Lundin Norway AS is the operator.