6706/11-1

General

Well 6706/11-1 was drilled on the Ægir prospect on the Vema Dome in the north of the Vøring basin. The main objectives for the well were to test the hydrocarbon potential of the Ægir prospect and to obtain data to allow for efficient exploration of the remaining licence area.

Operations and results

The original well was spudded and drilled to a total depth of 1988 m MD RT, with the 30" casing at 1340 m and 20" casing at 1685 m, respectively. This well was abandoned due to technical problems (no BOP test was obtained). The well was named 6706/11-1Z. The 1st respud was drilled to 1740 m MD RT. The 30" and the 20" casings were set at 1340 m and 1711 m, respectively. Technical problems were again the reason for abandoning this well. A bootstrap tool used to tighten the conductor and the 20" casings got stuck. The 1st re-spud was named 6706/11-1Y. The second and successful re-spud was named 6706/11-1. The well was drilled with seawater and hi-vis pills down to 1648 m and with Barasilc silicate mud from 1648 m to TD. In the section from 2255 m to 3476 m GEM GP (glycols) were added to the Barasilc mud. The Brygge Formation consisted mainly of ooze sediments with very low densities (bulk density of 1.4 g/cm3 was measured). Small fractures/ faults were interpreted in the intersection between Paleocene sandstone and the Springar Formation. It was assumed that the ooze lithology as well as unstable and fractured formation were the predomominant cause of the drilling problems that were encountered in the top section of the wellbores.

The dominant part of the sediments proved to be of Cretaceous age. The well intersects a single fault just below the base Quaternary and several faults at base Tertiary level. Both the Nise Sandstone 1 and the Nise Sandstone 2 formations were developed. No significant amounts of hydrocarbons were encountered only small amounts of very dry gas in an MDT sample from 3740 m. Five cores were cut in the NISE Format