Lundin Petroleum has started its 2016 exploration and appraisal campaign in the Loppa High area in the southern Barents Sea targeting 587-862 MMboe.
The winterized Leiv Eiriksson semisubmersible drilling rig (pictured) has been contracted for three firm well slots with an additional six optional well slots.
Three firm wells have been planned, consisting of a re-entry into the Alta-3 appraisal well, re-entry into the suspended Neiden exploration well, and an exploration well on the Filicudi prospect.
Focus has sharpened on the Barents Sea after three new licenses in areas not opened to exploration before in the southern Barents Sea under Norway's 23rd licensing round. It was the first time since 1994 that new exploration acreage was made available.
Lundin is not alone in exploring in the Barents Sea this season. Eni Norge was granted a drilling permit to drill the Aurelia wildcat well 7222/1-1 last month using the Scarabeo 8 drilling rig.
The Alta-3 appraisal well 7220/11-3A in PL609 was successfully drilled last year on the eastern flank of the Alta discovery. The objective of the Alta-3 re-entry is to deepen the well to further assess the quality of the Permian carbonate reservoir section as well as to conduct a production test.
The original Alta-3 well encountered a gross hydrocarbon column of 120m and all three Alta wells drilled to date have proven pressure communication, says Lundin. The Alta discovery is estimated to contain gross contingent resources of between 125-400 MMboe.
Next will be a re-entry into the suspended Neiden exploration well 7220/6-2, which was partially drilled last year. The Neiden well was suspended immediately above prognosed reservoir section in October last year due to winter restrictions for the drilling rig (Island Innovator). The Neiden prospect is estimated to contain gross unrisked prospective resources of 204 MMboe.
The third well, an exploration well targeting the Filicudi prospect on PL533, is to the northwest of the Alta discovery and south of the Statoil operated Johan Castberg discovery.
The Filicudi prospect is expected to contain Jurassic sandstone reservoir analogous to the Johan Castberg discovery. The Filicudi prospect is estimated to contain gross unrisked prospective resources of 258 MMboe.
Lundin Norway is the operator of both PL609 and PL533 and holds a 40% and 35% working interest in these respective licenses.
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