Longboat Energy, the emerging full-cycle North Sea E&P company with a portfolio of significant, near term, low-risk exploration assets, has disclosed the company’s optimism in discovering oil at the Egyptian Vulture exploration well PL939 (Company 15%), the second well in its fully-funded, seven well exploration programme.

The exploration well 6407/1-9 in the Norwegian Sea encountered light oil in the primary target in the Lower Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Intra-Lange Formation. The top of the reservoir was reached close to prognosis at a vertical depth of 3,684 metres below sea level with 13 metres net sand in a 37 metre oil filled gross interval. The upper part of the Lange sand interval has a high net to gross ratio and porosities in the order of 16 percent. An extensive programme of data acquisition and sampling has been carried out and the preliminary analysis of the oil sample indicates a very light oil. The oil-water contact was not encountered.

The operator’s preliminary estimate of recoverable resources in the Egyptian Vulture discovery is 19 to 63 MMboe (gross) and the oil-in-place volume has been estimated at 220 to 440 MMboe (gross). Conservative recovery factors have been applied by the operator in calculating these preliminary resource estimates and further appraisal will be required to understand the flow potential of the reservoir and future development wells. This could significantly increase the resource estimate for this laterally extensive discovery measuring approximately 80 km2 as defined by the seismic amplitude anomaly.

Egyptian Vulture sits in an area of significant infrastructure and export opportunities both for oil and gas. The well was drilled 20 km from the Åsgard field and 23 km from the Kristin field, both of which are also operated by Equinor and which offer development options for Egyptian Vulture.

The well, operated by Equinor, was drilled ahead of time and budget, and having reached a total vertical depth of 3,936 metres will now be plugged and abandoned as planned.

Helge Hammer, Chief Executive of Longboat, commented: 
“We are very pleased to have made a material light oil discovery in our second exploration well, Egyptian Vulture, following the Rodhette discovery announced only two weeks ago. The large areal extent and oil-in-place volume range demonstrates the very significant upside potential of this exciting discovery. We now look forward to working with the operator to mature the forward appraisal plan for Egyptian Vulture.

Egyptian Vulture is the second well in our seven well drilling programme with the third well, the Aker BP operated Mugnetind exploration well in the Southern North Sea, also well underway. The fourth well in the programme, Ginny/Hermine, is also anticipated to spud before year end.”