Polish company spuds first Norwegian well as operator
On the 30th August PGNiG Upstream Norway started drilling an exploration well on the Shrek prospect located in the Norwegian Sea, for the first time in the role of the operator.
Before starting the drilling operations on the Shrek well, which is located in licence area PL838, PGNiG obtained a drilling permit and safety consent to use the Deepsea Nordkapp rig to drill the well from Norwegian authorities.
It is the first exploration well in this licence area, located in the vicinity of the Skarv oil and gas field, in which PGNiG holds a 12% interest.
“The main objective of our operations in Norway is to scale up our own production of gas in the region. Now we also have the opportunity to develop our competences and expertise as an operator, which proves the trust our Norwegian partners place in PGNiG,” said Piotr Woźniak, President of the PGNiG SA Management Board.
“The Norwegian Continental Shelf is a rather challenging area, but we are very well prepared to handle this task.
The sea at the location of the well is 358 metres deep. The Shrek prospect is located at a depth of approximately 2,300 metres from the seabed.
The company said on the 30th August that the estimated duration of the drilling work depends on the results which will be obtained.
It will take approximately 45 days if hydrocarbons are discovered, in which case the company also plans to drill a side-track, collect the cores, and carry out detailed geophysical measurements.
The well is drilled using Deepsea Nordkapp, a sixth generation semi-submersible rig.
“Preparatory procedures for the drilling of an offshore well were extremely complex and different from what we do when drilling onshore wells, as they require much more effort in terms of planning itself. Ensuring the safety of work involving risks which are not found on land, such as heavy storms, plays a vital role, too. Drilling operations at the open sea, often carried out in extreme weather conditions far from the shore, are definitely more challenging,” Piotr Woźniak said.
PGNiG Upstream Norway holds a 40% interest in licence PL838, while the partners, Aker BP and Lime Petroleum, hold a 30% interest each.
Licence PL838 was awarded to the companies in February 2016 in the APA 2015 licensing round.
Source: Offshore Energy Today