Oil company Lundin will in 2015 drill four wells in Norwegian Arctic waters, among them at the Eagle license (PL708). That will make the company one of the most active explorers of the Norwegian northern shelf this year. In addition to the Eagle, Lundin will drill two appraisal wells in the Loppa High area and one wild cat well at the Neiden structure, a press release informs.
The Eagle well is located north of the Varanger Peninsula, in short distance from the border to Russia. The license was issued in 2013 as part of the 22nd Norwegian licence round and will be the easternmost ever drilled in Norway.
The project will be the first with involvement of Lukoil, the biggest privately-owned Russian oil company. Lukoil holds a 20 percent stake in the license, which is operated by Lundin (40%). Also North Energy and Edison hold 20 percent stakes.
The Eagle well will be drilled in the last quarter of the year and the rig Transocean Arctic will be applied, a company representative says to IFinnmark.no
Lundin has over the last years been among the most successful explorers of the Norwegian shelf. In 2013, the company made a significant discovery in the Gohta well and another in 2014 in the nearby Alta well. The two discoveries, both part of the Loppa High structure, will be followed up with two appraisal wells.
As previously reported, Statoil will not drill any wells in the Barents Sea this year.
Also state-owned company Rosneft is active on the Norwegian shelf. Through its subsidiary RN Nordic the company is partner with Statoil in the licenses. The license consortium in September 2014 announced results from drilling at the Pingvin structure. The operation revealed a 15-metre gas column with estimates in the range of 30-120 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent. The discovery is assessed as non-commercial, Statoil informed.
