Page 15 - EurOil Week 36 2021

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Gasunie’s corporate strategy and business strengthen this position”, Solheim added. force, the partner group could look to other
development in Groningen. The Deepsea Aberdeen rig will now move measures for seeking resolution of this issue.”
to the Wintershall Dea operated Vega field in In February, Beacom said production could
the North Sea. start in November, but that deadline could
Wintershall Dea eyes 836S Bergknapp license with a 40% share. now be delayed slightly as construction works
Wintershall Dea is the operator of the PL
at the project’s onshore treatment plant may
Bergknapp tieback Partners Spirit Energy and DNO Norge hold not be completed by the year-end, he said.
30% each.
He added BSOG was analyzing
Oil and gas firm Wintershall Dea has renewable energy projects using its existing
completed the drilling of an appraisal well on infrastructure, including onshore solar
the Bergknapp oil discovery in the Norwegian Neptune Energy gets green and wind parks and an offshore pilot green
Sea. hydrogen power plant.
Wintershall Dea made the Bergknam light for Shamu drilling The tax is preventing companies such
discovery in April 2020, using Saipem’s as OMV Petrom, majority-controlled by
Scarabeo 8 offshore drilling rig. Neptune Energy has received approval from Austria’s OMV from moving forward with its
The appraisal well was drilled using the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway to deepwater project where it discovered 1.5-3
Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Aberdeen semi- drill in block 33/6 in the North Sea. trillion cubic feet of gas and contributed to
submersible rig. PSA Norway said Monday that Neptune Exxon Mobil’s exit from it.
Wintershall Dea said Monday that the would drill 33/6-6 S and 33/6-6 A well at the Russia’s Lukoil and Romanian state
re-entry and appraisal wells confirmed the oil Shamu prospect in the Production licence: producer Romgaz also had a separate offshore
discoveries in the Garn and Tilje Formations 882 project.
and proved an additional gas accumulation in Neptune will use the Deepsea Yantai Gas producers, the energy regulator and
the Åre Formation. semi-submersible drilling rig for the drilling analysts have said Romania needs to press
“Following the completion of the appraisal operation. ahead with tapping offshore reserves as its
well, the size of the Garn and Tilje Formation Water depth at the site is 311 meters and onshore gas fields are dwindling and the
discoveries is estimated to be between 40 the drilling is expected to take at least 32 days. country needs to phase out coal in line with
and 84 million barrels of recoverable oil The PSA did not share info on the expected EU targets.
equivalent, whereas the Åre Formation is spud date. “ The centrist government has said offshore
estimated to hold an additional 13 million legislation would be amended in parliament
to 56 million barrels of recoverable oil this year. But its plans might be further
equivalent,” the company said. BSOG litmus test for delayed as tensions in the ruling coalition
The Bergknapp discovery is located escalated and the government is now at risk of
200 kilometers north of Kristiansund and Romanian offshore collapse.
8 kilometers west of the Wintershall Dea Failure to change legislation would
operated Maria oil field in an area close Black Sea Oil & Gas (BSOG) is pressing ahead undermine Romania’s credibility, put billions
to existing infrastructure. The licence to be the first company to tap Romania’s of dollars of revenue at risk and increase the
consortium will now evaluate potential offshore gas fields despite a disputed tax that country’s reliance on Russian gas imports.
development options. has stymied other projects, but if the levy Beacom said he did not believe the
Hugo Dijkgraaf, Wintershall Dea Chief remains it could impact its operations in the legislation will remain in place for long,
Technology Officer and responsible board country, its chief executive said. “given the current natural gas demand, the
member for Exploration said: “We are excited The company’s project to extract an significant rise of gas imports and prices in
that we have made another discovery in estimated 10 billion cubic meters of gas will Romania, as well as in the EU, and offshore
the Haltenbanken area in the Norwegian become a litmus test of the European Union law’s counterproductive nature for Romania
Sea. We will now work closely with our state’s ability to attract investors and tap its that ensures no further investments will be
partners to bring the project to the final estimated 200 billion cubic meters in the undertaken.”
investment decision and successfully drive the Black Sea. OMV Petrom Chief Executive Christina
development of the prospect.” Several gas producers have spent years Verchere agreed.
The Bergknapp appraisal well is the second and billions of dollars preparing to tap those “Based on what we’ve been told, the
operated exploration well for Wintershall reserves, but all except BSOG put a final offshore law will be done this year and we
Dea in Norway in 2021, following the nearby investment decision on hold three years ago need it to be done this year,” she said on
Dvalin North discovery in PL 211 made in when the previous government imposed an Friday.
May 2021. extra tax on offshore projects. Romania had the highest effective tax rate
“Bergknapp is an important discovery “The start of production is not contingent on offshore gas production among relevant
that contributes to our strong position in this on the legislation being repealed, but it does European states at 23%, more than four times
area of the Norwegian Shelf. With Maria and have an impact on how BSOG further engages higher than average, according to a study by
the nearby Dvalin field, we already have an in Romania,” CEO Mark Beacom told Reuters. consultancy PwC Romania for the oil and gas
established position as a major operator in “We have had continuous reassurance that employers’ association.
the Haltenbanken area,” said Alv Solheim, the law will be amended but ... we have yet
Managing Director of Wintershall Dea Norge. to see a draft amendment posted for public
“Bergknapp and Dvalin North will further debate. Should it continue to remain in

Week 36 09•September•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P15