OKEA and the licensees in production licence PL 055 have discovered oil along the eastern flank of the Brage field.
After oil was discovered with well 31/4-A-13 E (Kim) in 2023, the Brage Unit has continued exploration activity on the field.
The discovery was made in the southern part of the Prince prospect in wildcat well 31/4-A-23 G. Well 31/4-A-23 F, which was drilled in the northern part of the Prince prospect, was dry.
Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 0.29 – 2.79 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of oil equivalent (o.e.) in place, which corresponds to 1.9 – 17.5 million barrels. With the preliminary recovery rate estimates, the discovery is estimated to hold between 0.05 -0.44 million standard cubic metres (Sm3) of recoverable oil equivalent (o.e.), which corresponds to 0.3 – 2.8 million barrels.
The licensees will now assess the deposit as part of the further development of the Brage field.
The field has been in production for a long time, and work is under way to identify new methods to improve recovery. New wells are being drilled, often combined with investigation of nearby prospects.
Production licence 055 was awarded on 6 April 1979, in the fourth licensing round on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).
These are the 13th and 14th exploration wells to be drilled in the production licence.
The Brage field is located in the northern part of the North Sea, ten kilometres east of the Oseberg field. The field was proven in 1980, and the plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved in 1990. Production started in 1993. The Brage field is developed with an integrated production, drilling and living quarters facility with a steel jacket.
Geological information
The objective of A-23 F was to prove petroleum in Upper Jurassic reservoir rocks in the Sognefjord Formation. The objective of A-23 G was to delineate a potential discovery in A-23 F and to delineate the northern part of 31/4-A-13 E (Kim).
Well 31/4-A-23 F was drilled horizontally and encountered a sandstone layer in the Sognefjord Formation with a total measured thickness of 220 metres along the wellbore and 12 metres of vertical thickness with good reservoir properties. The well was drilled to a measured depth of 6285 metres and a vertical depth of 2153 metres below sea level in the Sognefjord Formation, and was dry.
Well 31/4-A-23 G was drilled horizontally at a vertical depth of between 2120-2171 metres along the eastern flank of the Brage field.
The well encountered a 3-4 metre thick sandstone layer in the Sognefjord Formation, and the well was drilled to a total measured depth of 1138 metres along this sandstone layer. The well proved a 20-metre thick oil column in sandstones with moderate to good reservoir properties. The oil/water contact was not encountered.
The well was drilled to a total measured depth of 10 023 metres and a vertical depth of 2171 metres below sea level. The well was terminated in the Heather Formation.
The well was not formation-tested, but data has been collected. Pressure data indicate that the discovery is not in pressure communication with the discovery in 31/4-A-13 E (Kim).
Water depth at the site is 140 metres. The wells have been permanently plugged and abandoned.
Source: Norwegian Offshore Directorate
