The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 4,320m below sea level using the Transocean Barents drilling facility, which will remain at the same location to drill the production well 6305/5-C-3 AH
Equinor encounters dry well in Norwegian Sea. (Credit: Transocean)
Equinor Energy has completed the drilling of wildcat well 6305/5-C-3 H, in the production licence 209 and failed to find any hydrocarbon reserves.
The well was drilled nearly 137km west-northwest of Kristiansund in the Norwegian Sea.
It was drilled using the Transocean Barents drilling facility, which is planned to continue in the same location to drill a production well 6305/5-C-3 AH.
The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 4,320m below sea level, at a water depth of 925m, and was terminated in the Shetland Group from the Turonian.
It has now been permanently plugged and abandoned, said the operator Equinor.
Vår Energi said that no producible reservoir was observed, and the well is classified as a dry well, which was not formation-tested, and no formation fluid samples were extracted.
The well was drilled with a primary objective to prove petroleum in reservoir rocks in the Turonian Lange formation, with a secondary target in the Coniacian Lysing formation.
It primarily encountered siltstone with thin layers of sandstone and dolomite stringers in both formations and has been acquiring the related data.
The pressure data and sampling collection attempts indicate that the formations have low permeability and are partly tight.
The well 6305/5-C-3 H is said to be the sixth exploration well in production licence 209 that was awarded in the 15th licensing round.
Production license PL209 is owned by Vår Energi with a 10% stake, Shell with a 15% stake, Petoro with a 35% stake, PGNiG with a 14% stake, and Equinor with a 40% interest and operator.
Vår Energi is an independent upstream oil and gas company on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), with more than 900 employees and equity stakes in 36 fields.
Earlier this year, Equinor failed to find hydrocarbon reserves after drilling a wildcat well 6407/9-13, located near the Draugen field in the Norwegian Sea.
The well was drilled around 148km north of Kristiansund and up to 8km northwest of the Draugen field.