Aker BP has started drilling an appraisal well after hitting a significant discovery at the Frosk prospect near its operated Alvheim field off Norway, writes Steve Marshall.

The 24/9-12 wildcat, drilled by semi-submersible Transocean Arctic in Aker BP-operated production licence 340, discovered between 30 million and 60 million barrels of oil equivalent — exceeding a pre-drill forecast of 3 million to 21 million boe.

The Anglo-Norwegian operator is now drilling an appraisal well using the same rig as it targets a possible subsea tie-back of the discovery to its Alvheim floating production storage and offloading vessel at the North Sea field.

The find is located in the same licence as Aker BP’s producing Boyla field, which is tied back to the FPSO.

Aker BP’s exploration chief Gro Haatvedt said the latest find “adds significant volume and value to our resource base, and provides an ideal basis for another profitable expansion project that will secure optimal utilisation of the infrastructure in the Alvheim area for many years”.

She added it has “further increased the attractiveness of other possible exploration targets” in the area — including Rumpetroll and Alvheim Deep — after yielding valuable new geological information.

The Oslo-listed player intends to drill three more wells in the vicinity of Alvheim this year — an infill well at Kameleon, a sidetrack at Volund and an appraisal at the Gekko discovery — having already tied in earlier satellite finds, including Viper-Kobra and Boa.

The company has already submitted a plan to the authorities to develop the Skogul satellite discovery as a tie-back to the floater and aims to exploit the Gekko-Kobra East and Caterpillar finds in a similar fashion.

The operator has boosted proven and probable reserves in the Alvheim area by 86% to 479 million boe compared with the original field development plan estimate of 257 million boe through infill drilling to avert field decline, according to partner Lundin Petroleum.

Aker BP holds a 65% operating stake in PL340, with partners Point Resources and Lundin Norway on 20% and 15%, respectively.

Weekly

Aker BP in Frosk appraisal