Electromagnetic survey technology once seen as "a magic wand" for finding hydrocarbons was laid somewhat lower Friday by Norway-based oil company Det Norske Oljeselskapet, after the outfit spent tens of millions of dollars drilling the dry Struten prospect.

Disappointment was palpable in a company communique Friday about the Norwegian Sea well drilled by the semisubmersible rig Bredford Dolphin in license PL383.

“The company sees the result as support for a view that (electromagnetic) data is only one tool in the search for oil and gas, and that it by no means offers any guarantee for success,” the company said.

EM survey equipment has been descirbed as having “pinprick accuracy” and “an excellent complement to standard seismic”. A spokesman for Norway-based survey technology outfit EMGS told Scandoil.com it has long said EM technology should be used along with other geophysical and geological data.

Ironically enough, management in German well partners VNG Norge had once told Scandoil.com that they had decided to partner in drilling off Norway that can cost $80 million a well because it was still cheaper than partnering in a producing field.

At Struten, the pre drilling migration of oil and gas was seen as the big risk for a dry well. Otherwise, “Electromagnetic data was collected in the area, and an anomaly was seen over the Struten prospect, which could indicate the presence of hydrocarbons,” the company said.

"This was a good structure next to an oil and gas rich area,” said company vice president Tom Bugge.

He said it was unclear whether Det Norske would would drill more at Struten or hand over a license where the well was drilled to 1650 metres below sea level. The Struten well was the first in the license.

Operator Det Norske (55 percent) was partnered at Struten with VNG (30 percent) and Concedo with 15 percent.

Tags: Det norske oljeselskap