Statoil, Partners Discover Gas in Drivis Prospect in Barents Sea

Statoil-operated PL532 partners made an oil and gas discovery in the Drivis prospect in the Barents Sea, concluding the underperforming 2013-2014 exploration programme around the Johan Castberg field. 

“Over the past year we have made a significant exploration effort in the Johan Castberg area. Five wells have been drilled back-to-back, giving us important subsurface information and a good understanding of the total resource base in the area”, Irene Rummelhoff, Statoil senior vice president for exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf, said in a note released on Friday. 

Statoil is the operator of production license PL532 with a 50% stake; the remaining shares are held by Eni Norge (30%) and Petoro (20%). 

According to Eni’s press release, the well 7220/7-3S is located 6 kilometres south of the Johan Castberg area on the Drivis Prospect in the PL532 license. It was drilled in approximately 345 metres of water and reached a total depth of 2,097 metres. 

”We are certainly glad to have an oil discovery in Drivis. However, the exploration programme as a whole has not delivered on volume expectations. Out of the five wells drilled only two have resulted in oil discoveries,” Statoil’s Rummelhoff explained.