Zapata Nordic discovers Albuskjell

by the Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Shell had considered drilling as early as 1969 in block 1/6, north-west of Ekofisk block 2/4. But it dropped the idea. In 1971, however, it and the Phillips group agreed to share a wildcat in 1/6.

— Zapata Nordic. Photo: ConocoPhillips/Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Zapata Nordic began drilling the structure dubbed Albuskjell by Shell, and found four hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs one above the other.

While only one contained commercial quantities of gas and condensate, Shell considered this so positive that it issued a press release which optimistically estimated a test flow of 2 700 barrels per day.

The Phillips group drilled the 2/4-9 well on the eastern flank of Albuskjell in the autumn of 1973, which confirmed the Shell discovery. Final confirmation came with Shell’s 1/6-3 well the following summer. Albuskjell was developed with two platforms, 1/6 A and 2/4 F, which came on stream in mid-1979..[REMOVE]Fotnote: Kvendseth, Stig S, Giant Discovery. A History of Ekofisk Through the First 20 Years, 1988: 41-42.