OMV Discovers Gas in Norwegian Sea, Eyes Tieback to Aasta Hansteen
OMV (Norge) AS has made a significant gas discovery in production license 1194 in the Norwegian Sea. The preliminary estimates indicate that the recoverable volumes could range from 30 to 140 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe). This find is approximately 65 kilometers away from the existing infrastructure of the Polarled pipeline and the Equinor-operated Aasta Hansteen field.
The exploration well, designated as 6605/6-1 S (Haydn/Monn prospect), was drilled 300 kilometers west of the Norwegian mainland at a water depth of 1,064 meters. The Transocean Norge drilling rig was used to reach the respective vertical and measured depths of 4,641 and 5,123 meters below the sea level. The well was terminated in the Nise formation within the Upper Cretaceous rock layers.
The primary goal of the well was to prove petroleum in Upper Cretaceous reservoir rocks, particularly in the Springar and Nise formations. The well encountered a substantial gas column of approximately 20 meters in the Springar formation, with 13 meters of this column residing in sandstone reservoir rocks of moderate to good quality. No gas-water contact was observed during the exploration. Additionally, the well found gas-filled sandstone layers totaling around 11 meters in the lower part of the Springar formation and a 5-meter gas column in the secondary exploration target within the Nise formation.
While the well was not formation-tested, extensive data acquisition and sampling were conducted. The well has since been permanently plugged.
OMV aims to increase its share of gas in its production portfolio to about 60% by 2030. By focusing on gas as a transition fuel, OMV encourages the use of affordable energy solutions, contributing to a more sustainable energy mix. Berislav Gašo, OMV’s executive vice-president, noted that