Bergknapp Appraisal Well Pegs Recoverables at 50-100 MMboe

Wintershall Dea is considering subsea development options after an appraisal well at its Bergknapp discovery in the Norwegian Sea firmed up reserves estimates.

Bergknapp is in PL836S, which is 8 km west of Wintershall’s operated Maria field and close to several other producing fields.

According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), the oil discovery at Bergknapp was proven in 2020, with the gas discovery following in 2021. The recent appraisal well is the third in PL836S, which was awarded in 2015.

Transcoean Norge drilled the appraisal well in 308 m water depth intended to reduce subsurface uncertainties at the Bergknapp discovery.

Wintershall updated recoverable resource estimates for the oil discovery in the Garn, Ile and Tilje formations at between 44 MMboe and 75 MMboe, and estimates for the underlying Åre Formation, discovered by a sidetrack in 2021, between 6 MMboe and 25 MMboe. In total, the recoverable resources are estimated between 50 MMboe and 100 MMboe.

The well was not formation-tested, but extensive data acquisition and sampling were carried out, the NPD said. The well has been permanently plugged and abandoned.

“In recent years, we have had achieved significant success with our strategy of exploring areas where we have in-depth subsurface knowledge and access to existing infrastructure. The focused exploration strategy maximizes our chances of making commercial discoveries and also shortens the time required for their development,” Michael Zechner, Wintershall Dea Norge managing director, said in a press release.

The Transocean Norge rig, under a long-term contract for Wintershall Dea and OMV, will move to the nearby Wintershall-operated PL211 CS license, where it will drill another appraisal well on the Adriana and Sabina discoveries.

Wintershall Dea operates the PL836S Bergknapp license with 40% interest on behalf of partners Equinor and DNO Norge, each with 30% interest.