OREANDA-NEWS. Statoil, along with its partners, has finalized a 19-month exploration drilling program offshore Newfoundland. The purpose of the drilling program was to increase the robustness of the Bay du Nord project and to test new areas of the Flemish Pass Basin.

Nine wells were drilled safely and efficiently by the Seadrill West Hercules in the Flemish Pass Basin, located approximately 500 kilometres east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The results have improved Statoil’s understanding of the frontier Flemish Pass Basin.

The drilling program included four exploration wells in close vicinity of the 2013 Bay du Nord discovery, as well as three appraisal wells on the discovery. In addition, two exploration wells were drilled in areas outside the Bay du Nord discovery. The program was conducted in a harsh offshore environment; however, with strong operational and HSE performance, setting several records on drilling speed during the campaign.

Statoil is an international energy company with operations in 37 countries. Building on more than 40 years of experience from oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf, we are committed to accommodating the world's energy needs in a responsible manner, applying technology and creating innovative business solutions. We are headquartered in Stavanger, Norway with approximately 22,000 employees worldwide, and are listed on the New York and Oslo stock exchanges.

The drilling program has resulted in two discoveries of oil at the Bay de Verde and Baccalieu prospects in the Bay du Nord area, both of which add to the resource base for a potential development at the Bay du Nord discovery.

The appraisal and near-field exploration of the Bay du Nord discovery has reduced key reservoir uncertainties and confirmed that the volumes are within the original volume range of the 300 to 600 million barrels of recoverable oil initially estimated by Statoil in 2013, but potentially towards the lower end of the range.