The Obelix Upflank discovery is estimated to hold 2-11 billion standard cubic metres of recoverable gas, which is nearly 12.6-69.2 million barrels of oil equivalent
Equinor reports commercial gas discovery near the Aasta Hansteen field. (Credit: Equinor ASA)
Equinor and its partners in production licence 1128 (PL 1128) in the Norwegian Sea have made a commercial gas discovery through the drilling of wildcat well 6605/1-2 S near the Aasta Hansteen field.
The discovery dubbed Obelix Upflank was made nearly 23km south of the Irpa gas discovery, and 350km west of Sandnessjøen. It was confirmed by the drilling of the appraisal well 6605/1-2 A.
Equinor north exploration and production senior vice president Grete Haaland said: “We need to find more gas on the NCS. Discoveries near existing infrastructure requires less volume in order to be commercially developed, and can be quickly put on stream with low CO2 emissions.
“We will together with our partners consider tie-back of this discovery to Irpa, for which we recently submitted a plan for development and operation.”
Equinor (70%) is partnered by Wintershall Dea (10%) and Petoro (20%) in PL 1128, which was awarded in APA 2020.
The Obelix Upflank discovery is estimated to hold 2-11 billion standard cubic metres of recoverable gas, which is nearly 12.6-69.2 million barrels of oil equivalent.
According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), well 6605/1-2 S intersected three sandstone layers in the Springar Formation, with the reservoir quality being moderate to good.
The uppermost sandstone layer of a thickness of nearly 10m was gas-bearing. The 35m middle sandstone layer saw a 2m gas column intersected, and the gas/water contact was proven at nearly 3,190m below sea level.
The lowest sandstone layer has a thickness of 25m and is water-bearing.
The 6605/1-2 S and 6605/1-2 A wells were drilled by the Deepsea Stavanger drilling rig to vertical depths of 3,330m and 3,327m, respectively, below sea level.
Obelix Upflank marks the first hydrocarbons discovery made in Norwegian waters in 2023.
For the Irpa gas discovery, Equinor and its partners Wintershall DEA, Petoro, and Shell are planning a $1.5bn subsea tieback to the Aasta Hansteen platform, which is 80km away.