Equinor and partners make oil and gas discovery in North Sea’s Gudrun field

Equinor Energy AS, along with its partners Vår Energi ASA, OMV (Norge) AS, and Repsol Norge AS, has announced a significant oil and gas discovery in the Gudrun field located in the North Sea. This discovery was made in wildcat wells 15/3-13 S and 15/3-13 A, marking a key milestone for exploration in production licence 025. The wells were drilled using the Deepsea Stavanger rig and represent the 13th and 14th wells in the production area.

Initial estimates indicate that the size of the discovery in the intra-Draupne Formation could be between 0.1 and 1.2 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalent. In the Hugin Formation, recoverable volumes are estimated between 0.4 and 1.3 million Sm3 of oil equivalent. These preliminary results will be carefully assessed by the licensees to determine the broader prospectivity in the area. The well results could influence further exploration and development activities in the region.

The primary exploration target for these wells was to confirm the presence of petroleum in Late Jurassic reservoir rocks in the intra-Draupne Formation and in Middle Jurassic reservoir rocks within the Hugin Formation. The secondary target was to prove the potential of Early Cretaceous reservoir rocks in the Rødby Formation. In well 15/3-13 S, thin oil-bearing sandstone layers were found in the intra-Draupne Formation, though no oil/water contact was identified. In the Hugin Formation, the well encountered 92 metres of sandstone, though reservoir properties were generally poor. Two intervals of gas-bearing sandstone were also found, measuring 8 and 7 metres respectively, although no gas/water contact was encountered.

To further delineate the discovery, a sidetrack well, 15/3-13 A, was drilled. This well encountered an 85-metre thick interval of oil in the intra-Draupne Formation, with 13 metres consisting of intermittent sandstone layers of moderate quality. The oil/water contact was established at 4328 metres below sea level. In the Hugin Formation, approximately 100 metres of sandstone was encountered, though this entire interval was aquiferous, with no gas/water contact proven. The secondary target, the Rødby Formation, did not yield any reservoir presence. Both wells were extensively evaluated through data acquisition and sampling, though no formation tests were conducted. The wells have since been permanently plugged and abandoned.

Well 15/3-13 S reached measured and vertical depths of 4826 metres and 4740 metres, respectively, while well 15/3-13 A reached measured and vertical depths of 4900 metres and 4814 metres, respectively. Both wells were terminated in the Sleipner Formation in the Middle Jurassic, with the water depth in the area being 110 metres.

Equinor Energy AS holds a 36% interest in the Gudrun field, while Vår Energi ASA holds 25%, OMV (Norge) AS holds 24%, and Repsol Norge AS holds 15%. This discovery adds to Equinor’s broader exploration portfolio and will likely influence future development decisions in the North Sea’s Gudrun area.