Statoil has discovered gas two kilometres south-west of the Norne field in the Norwegian Sea during the drilling of exploration well 6507/3-8.

A gas column 143 metres high was identified in the Fangst and Båt group of the Middle and Lower Jurassic, with good reservoir properties.

The find is estimated to contain 1.3-1.5 billion standard cubic metres (scm) of recoverable gas.

'This discovery lies in an area where we've made a number of earlier finds,' explains Geir Richardsen, head of infrastructure-led exploration in the Norwegian Sea.

'With detailed surveying and evaluation enhancing our knowledge, this area is still considered prospective.'

No formation test was carried out in the well, which lies in 378 metres of water, but extensive data was gathered and cores were taken.

The well was drilled to a total measured depth of 2,968 metres below sea level and terminated in the Lower Jurassic Tilje formation. It will now be permanently plugged and abandoned.

Producing the discovery through a tie-in to Norne will be considered by the licensees in production licence 159 B.

This is the second well in the licence, which was awarded in 1989 as part of the 12B licensing round and carved out from PL 159 in 2004.

Well 6507/3-8 was drilled by Ocean Vanguard, which will now move to PL 057 in the North Sea to drill exploration well 34/4-12S for Statoil as operator.

The group has an 85% interest in PL 159 B, with Dong E&P Norge AS holding the remaining 15%.

Tags: Statoil