Abstract: Nyk High, the first Deepwater Well in Norway

HOLLINGSWORTH, RICHARD R., EVAN K. HANSEN, ROBERT F. MARTEN and JAN ERIK KITTILSEN

Production license 218, in the frontier deepwater Voring Basin, covering the Nyk High, was awarded in the Norwegian 15th Round in February 1996. A 910 square km 3D seismic survey over the entire license was acquired in April and May, and was interpreted in late 1996 and early 1997. The seismic data is of excellent quality and lends itself to detailed geophysical analysis, even though the offset wells are distant and of limited value.

As expected, the 3D seismic reveals a more complicated structure than mapped on the roughly 1 X 1 km 2D grid. The prominent flatspot in the Upper Cretaceous section, which had drawn the attention of both the oil industry and academia, and had been the subject of several international presentations, was confirmed. Strong AVO anomalies are associated with both the flatspot, and with top reservoir to a level below the structural spillpoint. Based on a rock properties model, estimates for fluid fill, reservoir thickness and net pay were made as input to volumetric calculations. The relationship between structure and subtle amplitude changes along top and base reservoir has been investigated, and this provides valuable information for the trapping models.

BP currently plans to drill the main structure in early 1997, and we hope to be able to able to present some preliminary results from the well.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90942©1997 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria