German oil and gas exploration company Wintershall Dea has made an oil discovery at the Bergknapp prospect in Norway with an estimated recoverable resource of between 26 and 97 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), the company said April 7.

Drilled by the Scarabeo 8 rig, the well hit an oil column of at least 60 meters in the Garn Formation. It also hit an oil column of at least 120 meters in the Tilje Formation. The company described the reservoir qualities as ranging from poor to good.

The discovery was made about 8 km west of the Maria Field in the Norwegian Sea, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.

The license partnership will now initiate studies, investigate potential appraisal measures and development options for the discovery, which is located near the Maria field, Wintershall Dea said.

Hart Energy contributed to this article.