Oil discovery near the Brage field in the North Sea
Brage is a field in the northern part of the North Sea, ten kilometres east of the Oseberg field. Photo: OKEA ASA.
26/10/2023
Between 0.2 and 0.5 million Sm3 of recoverable oil was proven in connection with drilling well 31/4-A 13 E in the northern part of the North Sea. OKEA ASA is the operator.
Drilling of production well 31/4-A-13 D was also conducted. The well was extended to reach exploration targets in two different reservoirs, both of which were dry.
Wells 31/4-A 13 E and 31/4-A-13 D were drilled from the platform on the Brage field, which has been producing since 1993. The field was proven in 1980 in reservoir rocks in the Statfjord and Brent Group and in the Fensfjord and Sognefjord Formation.
The Brage field is developed utilising an integrated production, drilling and living quarters facility with a steel jacket. The oil is transported by pipeline to the Oseberg field and onward in the Oseberg Transport System (OTS) pipeline to the Sture terminal. A gas pipeline is connected to the Statpipe pipeline system.
Geological information
Based on data collected during the drilling operation, a decision was made to drill a horizontal sidetrack, well 31/4-A 13 E. This well encountered the Sognefjord Formation at 2147 metres below sea level, and proved oil in a sandstone layer of approx. 10 metres in reservoir rocks with moderate to good reservoir quality. The oil/water contact was not encountered.
In connection with the drilling of production well 31/4-A-13 D in the southern part of the Brage field, the well was extended to reach two exploration targets in a separate structure south of the field. The exploration targets were in the Sognefjord and Fensfjord Formation, and both were dry.
The well was not formation-tested, but data acquisition has been carried out.
Water depth at the site is 137 metres. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.
08/12/2023
Analyses show that the Barents Sea contains significant resources, probably more gas than oil. What needs to be done if Norway is to supply Europe with the requested volumes of gas?
06/12/2023
There are vast proven gas resources on the Norwegian shelf which are currently without development plans. Much of this gas is located in tight reservoirs – which makes it difficult to produce.
06/12/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Vår Energi AS drilling permit for well 7219/6-1 in production licence 1025 S, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
05/12/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has conducted a mapping of gas resources that, for various reasons, have yet to be developed. Several of these discoveries could be produced in a manner that is profitable from a socio-economic perspective.
30/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Harbour Energy Norge AS drilling permit for well 15/9-25 in production licence 1138, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
16/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) is changing its name to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate as of 1 January 2024. The new name reflects the additional responsibilities assigned to the directorate in recent years.
16/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Equinor Energy ASA drilling permit for well 35/11-28 S in production licence 248 C, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
15/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Neptune Energy Norge AS drilling permit for well 35/6-4 A in production licence 929, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
