7224/6-1

General

The 7224/6-1 Arenaria well was drilled on the Bjarmeland Platform, south of the Swaen Graben, north-east of the Loppa High and west of the Nordkapp Basin in the Barents Sea. The objective of the well was to prove hydrocarbons in prospects of Jurassic age (Stø, Nordmela and Tubåen formations) and in prospects of Triassic age (Snadd formation of

Carnian age). In addition, secondary targets of Triassic age in canalized fluvial sandstones were mapped at many levels within the Fruholmen, Snadd and Kobbe Formations.

Operations and results

First a 9 7/8" pilot hole, 7224/6-U-1, was drilled to 706 m, the surface casing setting depth, to check for shallow gas and give information about drilling the Kolmule formation as surface hole. No shallow gas was observed, and no significant drilling problems were experienced. Wildcat well 7224/6-1 was spudded with the semi-submersible installation Polar Pioneer on 22 July 2008 and drilled to TD at 2338 m in the Triassic Kobbe Formation. The well was drilled with seawater and hi-vis pills down to 706 m, and with Glydril mud from 706 m to TD.

The Arenaria well penetrated a short Quaternary section and then approximately 500 m with Cretaceous rocks before entering rocks of Jurassic and Triassic age. Prospective intervals were identified within shallow marine Jurassic sand (Tubåen Formation), alluvial and shallow marine units of Norian and Early Carnian age (Fruholmen and Snadd Formation) and within, or in association with, a prograding shelf edge system of Anisian age (Kobbe Formation). Low saturation gas was found in the Tubåen Formation. Gas was discovered in 4 levels in the Kobbe Formation (2015 m, 2080 m, 2113 m and 2252 m). Due to tight