Statoil and its partner Husky Energy has completed the exploration drilling campaign of two wells in Newfoundland offshore.
The drilling of the wells was conducted by Seadrill West Aquarius in Flemish Pass Basin, situated 500km off Newfoundland and Labrador.
Located within tie-back vicinity to Statoil’s 2013 Bay du Nord discovery, both the wells did not produce any result in the discovery of hydrocarbons.
Statoil Canada exploration vice president Trond Jacobsen said: “We had hoped to add additional optionality to the near-field area at Bay du Nord. We will now take the time needed to evaluate the results before firming up any plans for additional drilling near-field to Bay du Nord.”
The estimated volume for Bay du Nord, including Bay de Verde and Baccalieu discoveries, is 300 million barrels of recoverable oil, which was stated following the 2014 – 2016 drilling program of Statoil.
While Statoil continues its assessment of commercial potential of the Bay du Nord discovery, it is also evaluating further drilling activities its acreage in the frontier Flemish Pass Basin.
Statoil Canada president Paul Fulton said: “We continue to evaluate the feasibility of a development at Bay du Nord. “While these results mean a reduction in optionality for a potential project development, we continue to work on this project.”
Recently, the Norwegian multinational oil and gas company, along with his partners, announced plans develop the Snefrid Nord gas discovery located close to the Aasta Hansteen field in the Norwegian Sea.
Expected to become operations in late 2019, the Snefrid Nord gas discovery will be connected to Aasta Hansteen field.
Image: The Seadrill West Aquarius drilling rig. Photo courtesy of Seadrill/Statoil ASA.