Equinor conducted in-depth analysis of the wells that were drilled at Martin Linge before the company took over as the operator of the field from Total in 2018. The review showed that several of the wells do not have the necessary barriers. Equinor, therefore, plans to drill new wells in order to ensure safe production.
In four gas wells that were drilled at Martin Linge before 2018, well-barrier deficiencies thought to make them inappropriate for safe production were found. Petoro carried out an independent assessment of well barriers that support the operator’s view.
“The wells are considered safe as they are now, but we will keep them plugged and under continuous monitoring until we have reduced the pressure in the formation by producing from other wells. Safety is always priority No. 1,” said Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s acting executive vice president for technology, projects, and drilling.
The Martin Linge plant is designed for a mixture of oil and gas and needs gas wells that produce at a certain rate for startup and production.
“Our No. 1 priority is to ensure safe startup of the field,” Tungesvik said. “We will, therefore, plan to drill up to three new gas wells in addition to the two remaining wells from the plan for development and operation for the field to produce as originally planned.”
The Maersk Intrepid drilling rig recently started the drilling operations at Martin Linge.
Equinor is the majority shareholder and operator of Martin Linge (70%). Petoro (30%) is the only partner.