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Aker BP, Equinor Drill Dry Exploration Well in Norway's North Sea

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Aker BP and Equinor (EQNR) have drilled a dry exploration well in the Svarteknippa prospect in Norway's North Sea, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate said on Tuesday.

The well, designated 15/6-17, was drilled in production license 979, about 15 km west of the Solveig field and 220 km west of Stavanger. It was the first exploration well drilled in the license, which was awarded in 2018 under Norway's Awards in Pre-defined Areas licensing round.

The directorate said the well was drilled to a vertical depth of 3,704 meters below sea level and has been permanently plugged and abandoned.

The primary exploration target was hydrocarbons in Middle Jurassic reservoirs in the Hugin and Sleipner formations. A secondary target was reservoirs and hydrocarbons in the Draupne and Heather formations.

The well encountered the Vestland Group near the primary target, with the formation measuring 97 meters in thickness. Norway's energy regulator said only 8 meters consisted of sandstone, with moderate to poor reservoir quality, while weak indications of hydrocarbons were recorded.

The well encountered 191 meters of the Draupne Formation and 104 meters of the Heather Formation at the secondary target, but no reservoir rocks were proven.

The operators also recovered a 54-meter-long core from the Vestland Group as part of the data acquisition program.

The Svarteknippa prospect lies in a mature part of the central North Sea, where recent exploration has largely focused on smaller discoveries near existing infrastructure. Aker BP and Equinor have been among the most active exploration companies in the area.

Price: $41.10, Change: $+0.11, Percent Change: +0.27%

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