Aker BP pulls off significant gas discovery in Barents Sea

Aker BP, along with its partners, has made headlines with the discovery of a significant gas deposit in wildcat well 7324/8-4 (Hassel) located in the Barents Sea, roughly 300 kilometers off the northern coast of Norway. This discovery is situated within production licence 1170, a territory awarded during the APA 2021 rounds. This marks the second notable finding in this licence, following the gas discovery in well 7324/6-2.

Initial assessments suggest that the gas discovery contains between 0.51 to 0.7 million standard cubic meters (Sm3) of oil equivalent (o.e.), which translates to approximately 3.23 to 4.42 million barrels of oil equivalent. The consortium of licensees, which includes major industry players such as Equinor, Aker BP, Petoro, and Inpex Idemitsu, is now evaluating the potential for development by considering this discovery in conjunction with other nearby findings.

The primary aim of drilling well 7324/8-4 was to confirm the presence of petroleum in the Middle Jurassic to Upper Triassic reservoir rocks within the Stø and Fruholmen formations. The well successfully encountered a 30-meter thick reservoir zone, featuring an 11-meter gas column. Remarkably, 8 meters of this gas column were found in sandstone layers with excellent reservoir quality.

Significant Gas Discovery in the Barents Sea by Aker BP and Partners

The drilling reached a vertical depth of 781 meters below sea level, concluding in the Snadd Formation of the Upper Triassic. Notably, the water depth at the drilling site is 401 meters. Although the well was not tested for formation, extensive data acquisition and sampling have been conducted.

The well is scheduled to be permanently plugged and abandoned, following the comprehensive data collection efforts. The insights gained from this endeavor will play a crucial role in shaping future exploration and development strategies in the region.

The discovery of gas in such significant quantities is a positive sign for the future of energy resources in the Barents Sea. It underscores the potential of the region as a critical area for oil and gas exploration, which could contribute substantially to meeting Europe’s energy demands.