Statoil announced Thursday that it made a small, non-commercially viable discovery in its Gulf of Mexico Martin prospect and drilled dry at the Dilolo-1 exploration well in offshore Angola.
Both wells are being plugged and abandoned.
Statoil said the Martin well was drilled efficiently but the pay zone was not considered a commercial discovery.
Once the Martin well is plugged and abandoned the Maersk Developer rig drilling at that site will move to the impact Perseus prospect in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico block De Soto Canyon 231.
Statoil is the operator of Martin with a 42.5 percent stake. Calgary-based Nexen holds a 25 percent stake and Louisiana-based LLOG holds a 26 stake.
Statoil also said that its Dilolo-1 well in Angola’s offshore Kwanza basin drilled dry after reaching its pre-salt target.
However, Statoil said the well provided valuable calibration for other prospects in the surrounding area.
The company said further studies are needed in order to fully understand the well results.
The Dilolo-1 exploration well is in block 39 offshore Angola.
The well is now in the process of being plugged and abandoned.
The Stena Carron drillship working at Dilolo-1 will move to block 38 to spud the exploration well Jacaré-1.
Statoil will participate in eight commitment wells across five blocks in the Angolan pre-salt frontier play.
The company is also participating in two more wells in the Kwanza basin in Angola.
The two additional wells are the Puma well in block 25, operated by France’s Total, and the Locosso well in block 22, operated by Spain’s Repsol.
Statoil operates Angola block 39 and holds a 37.5 stake. Total holds a 7.5 percent stake, Texas-based WRG holds a 15 percent stake, Columbia-based Ecopetrol 10 holds a 10 percent stake and Angola’s Sonangol P&P holds 30 percent stake.
In block 38 Statoil is the operator with a 45 percent stake. WRG holds a 15 percent stake, Ecopetrol holds a 10 percent stake and Sonangol P&P holds a 30 percent stake.
The Ecopetrol farm-in in block 38 is subject to approval by Sonangol E&P and the Angolan minister of petroleum.
