Wintershall Successfully Delineates Grosbeak Discovery

- Wintershall Successfully Delineates Grosbeak Discovery

Monday, July 18, 2011
Norwegian Petroleum Directorate

Wintershall Norge ASA, operator of production licence 378, has concluded the drilling of appraisal wells 35/12-4 S and 35/12-4 A in the 35/12-2 Grosbeak oil and gas discovery.

The Grosbeak discovery was proven in 2009 in the Sognefjord formation and in the Brent Group in Upper and Middle Jurassic reservoir rock.

The appraisal wells were drilled approximately 2.5 kilometres northeast of the 35/12-2 Grosbeak discovery well and approximately 10 kilometres northeast of the Fram field.

The purpose of the 35/12-4 S and 35/12-4 A wells was to delineate the 35/12-2 Grosbeak discovery.

Well 35/12-4 S was drilled in the south-eastern part of the structure and encountered an oil column of 40 metres in the Brent Group (Ness formation) in Middle Jurassic reservoir rock. The reservoir quality was better than expected. A successful formation test has been conducted in the well. The production rate was 800 standard cubic metres (Sm3) of oil with associated gas per flow day through a 44/64 inch nozzle opening. Maximum production rate was estimated at 1250 Sm3/ per flow day.

Well 35/12-4 A was drilled at the top Brent Group to study the north-eastern part of the Grosbeak structure. The upper part of the Ness formation consisted of thin alternating layers of sandstone and carbon, but no hydrocarbons.

The results from the wells will be included in the ongoing assessment of Grosbeak and the licensees will assess whether the discovery should be developed together with other discoveries in the area.

Comprehensive data acquisition and sampling have been carried out. Evaluations and analyses will be conducted to establish the size and extent of the discovery. Further delineation is likely to be necessary.

Wells 35/12-4 S and 35/12-4 A are the third and fourth exploration wells in production licence 378. The production licence was awarded in APA 2005.

Appraisal wells 35/12-4 S and 35/12-4 A were drilled to a vertical depth of 3585 and 3413 metres below sea level. Well 35/12-4 S was terminated in the Statfjord formation in Lower Jurassic rock and well 35/12-4 A was terminated in the Rannoch formation in Middle Jurassic rock. Both wells have been plugged and abandoned. The water depth is 359 metres.

The wells were drilled by the drilling facility Songa Delta, which will now be used in the Norwegian Sea to drill wildcat well 6607/12-2 S in production licence 127, where Total E&P Norge AS is the operator.

Oil & Gas Post

Promote Your Page Too
LINK

Wintershall Raises Stake in Maria Discovery

- Wintershall Raises Stake in Maria Discovery

Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wintershall Norge ASA

Wintershall has once again stepped up its activities in Norway by raising the company's share in the Maria discovery to 50 percent, the company announced. The discovery is one of the largest oil discoveries in Norway in recent years and is situated around 200 kilometers off the coast of Trondheim. Agreements to this effect have been signed between Wintershall Norge ASA and Spring Energy AS and between Wintershall Norge ASA and Concedo ASA. According to the agreements, Wintershall will acquire a 15 percent share from Spring Energy and a 10 percent share from Concedo in the Maria discovery. With this acquisition, the BASF subsidiary Wintershall is increasing its shares in the licenses PL 475 BS, PL 475 CS and PL 475. Wintershall is the operator of the discovery and is driving forward the development of the discovery. The discovery is estimated to have from 60 to 120 million barrels of recoverable oil and 2 to 5 billion standard cubic meters (sm3) of recoverable gas. Wintershall is planning to drill an appraisal well before the end of the year to lay down an optimal development concept for the Maria discovery. Wintershall Norge ASA is now one of the largest license-holders in Norway with over 40 licenses of which it holds the operatorship in about 20.

Investments in the optimal development

"The increase in our share of the Maria discovery fits in perfectly with our long-term strategy to become one of the most important producing operators on the Norwegian continental shelf," Martin Bachmann, Member of the Wintershall Board of Executive Directors and responsible for Exploration and Production, explained. "By increasing its working interest, Wintershall is not only underlining its readiness to invest in Norway, it also shows the confidence we have in this project," the Wintershall Board Member emphasized. "Once we have carefully examined the development options, we will vigorously pursue the development of the discovery," Bachmann said. "The transaction reflects our strong commitment to make Norway a core region for Wintershall. At the same time we are moving our successful exploration portfolio towards development and production," Bernd Schrimpf, Managing Director of Wintershall Norge ASA, added.

The Maria discovery

The Maria exploration well discovered hydrocarbons in the summer of 2010 after Wintershall was awarded the production licenses PL 475 BS and PL 475 CS in the APA 2008 and APA 2010 licensing rounds. The Maria discovery in the Garn formation is located in a large horst area from the Jurassic period stretching from the northeast to the south-west. The Garn formation provides a reservoir for several fields in central Norway.

Oil & Gas Post

Promote Your Page Too

Wintershall Snags Licenses in Norway's 21st Licensing Round

Wintershall Snags Licenses in Norway's 21st Licensing Round

Monday, April 18, 2011
Wintershall AG

The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has assigned Wintershall Norge two new licenses in the 21st Licensing Round. Wintershall is the operator of both licences. A total of 24 production licenses were awarded on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), 12 in the Barents Sea and 12 in the Norwegian Sea. "We are pleased with the results from this round. The Norwegian Continental Shelf is one of Wintershall's core regions, and we are continually building business and commitment in Norway," said Martin Bachmann, Member of the Board of Executive Directors responsible for Exploration and Production.

In June 2010 the Ministry announced 94 licenses for which 37 companies applied. Wintershall received license PL611 in the Barents Sea (in blocks 7223/3 and 6, and 7224/1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Germany's largest E&P company will be the operator with a 40% interest, Faroe Petroleum Norge holds 40% and Petoro 20%. In the Norwegian Sea, Wintershall will be the operator of PL601 in the blocks 6609/3 and
6610/1 in the Nordland III area. The company will own a share of 40%. Rocksource, North Energy and Edison International Norway Branch each hold 20%.

NPD Grants Wintershall North Sea Drilling Permit

NPD Grants Wintershall North Sea Drilling Permit

Thursday, April 07, 2011
Norwegian Petroleum Directorate

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Wintershall Norge ASA a drilling permit for well 35/12-4 S, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Well 35/12-4 S will be drilled from the Songa Delta drilling facility at position 61°11’6.79” north and 03°41’29.48” east following completion of drilling of wildcat well 6507/8-8 for Nexen Exploration Norge AS in production license 434.

The drilling program for well 35/12-4 S concerns the drilling of a wildcat well in production license 378. Wintershall Norge ASA is the operator with a 45 per cent ownership interest. The other licensees are Talisman Energy Norge AS with 35 percent and Premier Oil Norge AS with 20 percent.

The area in this permit consists of block 35/12 as well as parts of block 36/10. The well was drilled 2.4 kilometers northeast of the 35/12-2 oil discovery well (Grosbeak) in the northern part of the North Sea.

Production license 378 was awarded on January 6, 2006 (APA 2005). This is third well to be drilled in this license.

The permit is contingent upon the operator having secured all other permits and consents required by other authorities before the drilling starts.