StatoilHydro says that gas has been proven in the Corvus prospect by an exploration well drilled seven kilometres north-west of the Oseberg C platform in the North Sea.

“This is another discovery in a highly prospective area,” says Tom Dreyer, head of North Sea infrastructure-led exploration. “It’s in the cellar of the major Oseberg block.”

The discovery well found gas in a 550-metre sandstone-dominated interval dating from the Triassic, which contains several internal pressure barriers.

“It’s got an interesting potential, but further appraisal and better seismic data are needed before we can say anything more exact about its size,” says Mr Dreyer. An appraisal well is needed to identify how much of the reservoir is producible, and the size of the gas resources concealed in the Oseberg cellar.

Plans call for the discovery to be tied back to the fixed installations in the Oseberg area if further evaluation shows that the reservoir is commercial.

Licensees in production licence 309; StatoilHydro Petroleum AS: 63.817180 (operator) Petoro AS: 33.600000 ConocoPhillips Skandinavia AS: 2.582820

Key facts: - Exploration well 30/5-3 S encountered gas in Upper Triassic rocks of the Hegre group. - The discovery has not been tested, but extensive data were gathered and cores taken. - Transocean Winner drilled the well. - The well was drilled to a vertical depth of 3 830 metres. - The water depth is 113 metres. - The lower part of the well has been plugged and abandoned. - Transocean Winner has now started a sidetrack (30/5-3 A) from the upper part of the borehole to explore a different part of the Corvus prospect.

Tags: StatoilHydro