7322/7-1

General

Well 7322/7-1 was drilled to test the Scarecrow prospect on the eastern shoulder of the Fingerdjupet Sub-basin in the Barents Sea. The primary objective was to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential in shallow buried Early Cretaceous reservoirs. The Scarecrow play model had not previously been tested in the area and carried large uncertainties.

Operations and results

Wildcat well 7322/7-1 was spudded with the semi-submersible installation Island Innovator on 21 July 2018. An 8 1/2" pilot hole was drilled from the 30" conductor shoe (494.5 m) to 646 m to check for shallow gas and for data acquisition. A riserless mud return system was used (RMR) in the pilot, and this enabled sampling of cuttings and recording of drill gas. Also, a seismic while-drilling tool was used in the pilot hole, mainly to reduce the depth uncertainty to the Top Kolje Formation with potential reservoir. No shallow gas was detected. The pilot hole was logged and opened up to a 17 ½ section and drilling commenced to TD at 797 m in the Early Cretaceous Kolje Formation. Operations proceeded without significant problems. The well was drilled with seawater and hi-vis pills down to 495 m, while the pilot and main well was drilled with Glydril mud from 495 m to TD.

Top Kolje Formation was encountered at 661 m. The prognosed reservoir interval was encountered at 677 m and consists of claystone and siltstone with minor limestone interbeds. Based on biostratigraphy it is interpreted to be part of the Kolje Formation. An increase in drill gas was observed when drilling into this section, otherwise there were no oil shows (fluorescence) or other hydrocarbon indications in the well.