Eni is to plug and abandon its Aurelia wildcat exploration well in the Barents Sea after poor drilling results.
The well, 7222/1-1, was the first exploration well in production license 226, awarded in 1997. It was drilled about 80km east of the Skrugard discovery and about 250km north of Hammerfest in 424m water depth using Saipem’s Scarabeo 8 semisubmersible drilling rig.
The well's primary exploration targets were the Triassic Kobbe and Ladinian formations and the Permian Ørn Formations, with secondary targets in the Triassic Carnian-Snadd and Permian Røye Formations.
In the Kobbe Formation hydrocarbon (wet gas) bearing sandstone was encountered but with poor reservoir characteristics. Carnian-Snadd and Permian Formations were water bearing.
Well 7222/1-1 was drilled to a vertical depth of 2366m below sea level and reached total depth in the Permian Røye Formation.
Partners on the well were DEA Norge, Edison Norge and Point Resources