Four major oil and gas firms have proven gas and condensate in the Norwegian Sea Ragnfrid North (6406/2-9 S) exploration well. Norwegian oil major Equinor and compatriot Petoro, US-based giant ExxonMobil and French Total, estimate recoverable resources at 6-25 million barrels of oil equivalent.
We are pleased to start the new year by announcing a new discovery. Exploring for resources close to existing infrastructure is a central part of Equinor’s strategy to further develop the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). We need this kind of discoveries in the years to come,
…says Nick Ashton, Equinor’s senior vice president for Norway and the UK.
Ragnfrid North is located in PL199 south of the Kristin field in the Norwegian Sea. The discovery will help clarify the resource base in the area for the next years.
According to Mr. Ashton, Ragnfrid North, together with the former discoveries Lavrans and Erlend East, is expected to give a more detailed picture of the potential in this area of the Norwegian Sea. The licence partners will now evaluate the discovery for development and tie-in to the Kristin field and further maturing of the Kristin South project.
The Ragnfrid North discovery will increase the probability of discovery for other prospects and pave the way for more drilling operations in this central part of the Norwegian Sea. This is something we will consider going forward while further analysing the results. The NCS still offers great potential,
…says Ashton.
Exploration drilling in Ragnfrid North 6406/2-9 S started on 3 October and the well was drilled by the West Phoenix rig in production licence 199. Equinor holds 52% of the share, Petoro 27%, ExxonMobil 15%, and Total 6%.
West Phoenix is now being moved to the UK continental shelf to drill the Equinor-operated Bigfoot prospect south of the Mariner field.
