30/3-1

General

Well 30/3-1 is located just north of the Huldra Discovery. It was planned to be drilled in two phases and the primary objective was to test sandstones of the Brent Group. Secondary objectives were sandstones in the Paleocene and in the Lower Jurassic, Cook and Statfjord formations.

Operations and results

Well 30/3-1, Phase I was spudded with the semi-submersible installation Nordskald and drilled to 3718 m in claystone and marls of the Early Cretaceous Cromer Knoll Group. Phase I was drilled without serious problems but the 12 1/4" hole section had to be cut shorter than originally planned due to lost circulation and possibly higher pore pressures than prognosed. The mud gas readings were relatively high through the 17 1/2" section causing long periods of circulation. The well was drilled with seawater and hi-vis pills down to 212 m, with a gel mud from 212 m to 985 m, and with a Spersene XP 20/Magcogel/nut plug mud from 985 m to TD.

The Paleocene did not contain good reservoirs. Shows and live oil in the mud were however recorded in predominant claystone lithology from 1910 m to 2470 m. No conventional cores were cut and no fluid samples taken.

The well was suspended on 7 September as a dry hole after the 9 5/8" casing was run. The plan was to re-enter the well later, using a rig equipped with a 15000 psi BOP stack and drill through the Jurassic sandstones.

Testing

No drill stem test was performed