Norwegian state-controlled energy company Equinor has been unsuccessful with its latest exploration well in home waters, close to the Heidrun field.

Exploration well 6507/8-11 S was located in Production Licence 124, 17 kilometres north of Heidrun in the Norwegian Sea, some 240 kilometres west of Sandnessjoen.

The well encountered reservoir rocks in the Aare Formation and in Grey Beds, of which there were sandstone layers totalling 206 metres with good reservoir quality, but only weak traces of petroleum were encountered.

“The well is classified as dry,” the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said on Tuesday.

The probe is the ninth drilled in PL124, which was awarded in 1986.

It was drilled by the Odfjell Drilling-owned semi-submersible rig Deepsea Stavanger, which will now drill wildcat well 6605/1-2 S in PL1128, also in the Norwegian Sea and where Equinor is also the operator.