DNO ASA reported the Carmen discovery in the Norwegian North Sea, announced July 10, could rank as the largest discovery on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) since 2013.

DNO holds a 30% working interest in PL1148, which is operated by Wellesley Petroleum AS with 50%. The other partners, with 10% each, are Equinor Energy AS and Aker BP ASA.

Carmen is located in the Brent fairway and is Wellesley’s first operated HP/HT well.

DNO said preliminary evaluation of comprehensive data, including cores and fluid samples, acquired from the Carmen discovery well and a follow-on extended sidetrack indicates gross recoverable resources in the range of 120 MMboe to 230 MMboe on a P90 to P10 (proved-possible) basis. At 175 MMboe, the mid-point of this range, Carmen ranks as the largest discovery on the NCS since 2013, DNO said.

Carmen Could Be Largest Find in Norwegian Shelf in 10 Years
PL1148 was originally awarded to Wellesley as operator with 50% and partner Equinor with 50% in the APA 2021 license round. DNO and Aker BP farmed into PL1148 in 2022. (Source: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate)

The two wells have established a deeper hydrocarbon-water contact, tripling the mid-point of DNO’s pre-drill expected range.

In April 2022, Wellesley announced that it had signed a letter of intent with CIMC Offshore AS for the Deepsea Yantai, operated by Odfjell Drilling, to drill the Carmen well in PL1148. The semisubmersible can operate in water depths of 70 m to 1,200 m.

PL1148 was originally awarded to Wellesley as operator with 50% and partner Equinor with 50% in the APA 2021 license round. DNO and Aker BP farmed into PL1148 in 2022.

DNO said Carmen is the company’s sixth discovery in the Troll-Gjøa area since 2021 and is located close to existing infrastructure with clear routes for commercialization. The other discoveries are Røver Nord, Kveikje, Ofelia, Røver Sør and Heisenberg.

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