Neptune Energy and its partners discovered up to 24 million recoverable barrels of oil equivalent at the Hamlet exploration wells (PL153) in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the company and its partners announced.
Total in-place volumes discovered in the Hamlet structure are estimated to be in the range of 5-11 million standard cubic meters (MSm3) or 30-70 MMboe. Work is continuing to confirm potential recoverable resources, but Neptune’s preliminary estimate is 8-24 MMboe.
Located 58 kilometers west of Florø, Norway, at a water depth of 358 metres, Hamlet will be considered as a tie-back to the Neptune-operated Gjøa semi-submersible platform.
Hamlet is a new discovery in the Gjøa area, where Neptune already operates two fields. The Wintershall Dea-operated fields Vega and Nova are also tied back to the Gjøa platform.
“This discovery is in line with Neptune’s strategy to focus on exploration around existing hubs, enabling us to fast-track development, and to keep costs down and carbon emissions low,” said Oden Estensen, Neptune Energy’s managing director for Norway and the UK. “A potential field development would build on our experiences from recent successful developments of the Duva field and Gjøa P1 segment.”
The drilling program comprised a main-bore (35/9-16S) with a side-track (35/9-16A). Both wells found hydrocarbons, and the sidetrack confirmed an oil/water contact at 2662 meters total vertical depth. Neptune and its partners have initiated studies to consider development options for the discovery.
Neptune Energy’s Director of Exploration & Development in Norway Steinar Meland added: “The Hamlet exploration well confirms the extended potential of the Agat play, previously only developed and produced in the Neptune-operated Duva Field. Neptune plans to drill a further exploration well, the Ofelia prospect, in the same play later this year.”
Hamlet was drilled by the Deepsea Yantai, a semi-submersible rig, owned by CIMC and operated by Odfjell Drilling.
