The company drilled 16/2-12 exploratory well located about three kilometers north of the Johan Sverdrup discovery, in the production licence PL265, to a vertical depth of 2,045m below sea level at a sea depth of 115m.
The drilling results have proved a 35m oil column in a high quality reservoir dating from the Jurassic period and Statoil is estimating volumes of 140 million to 270 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalents in the prospect.
Statoil Norway exploration senior vice president Gro Haatvedt said, "A new oil discovery in the Johan Sverdrup area, in the mature part of the North Sea reinforces Statoil’s faith in the exploration potential of the Norwegian continental shelf, and demonstrates that we deliver on our strategy of revitalising the NCS with high value barrels."
Statoil Johan Sverdrup field development VP Øivind Reinersten said the company will include the new discovery in the on-going development work for the Johan Sverdrup field.
"The discovery should therefore be seen in relation with the on-going appraisal program in Johan Sverdrup to narrow down the volume range and uncertainty," Reinersten added.
The company will move the rig from the 16/2-12 well after it is completed to the Johan Sverdrup to drill two appraisal wells.
Statoil owns 40% in the PL265 and is the operator of the licence while Petoro, Det norske oljeselskap, and Lundin Norway have 30%, 20%, and 10% interest in the licence respectively.
