Vår Energi has confirmed an oil discovery in the Countach appraisal well near the Goliat field in the Barents Sea.

The preliminary estimated gross recoverable resources from the well range between four and 25mboe, increasing the total estimated recoverable resources for the Countach discovery to between ten and 55mboe.

Vår Energi said that this discovery further highlights the potential of the Goliat ridge, where its plans additional drilling in 2025 to assess more than 100mboe in gross prospective recoverable resources.

Vår Energi operates the Countach licence with a 65% interest, while Equinor holds the remaining 35% stake.

The appraisal well was drilled following the initial Countach discovery in 2023, which had estimated recoverable resources of three to 13mboe.

The Barents Sea, which is believed to contain half of the remaining undiscovered resources on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, remains a focal point for Vår Energi's exploration efforts.

The Countach appraisal well marks the first in a two-year drilling campaign in collaboration with Equinor, which aims to explore both infill production and exploration wells.

Over the next four years, Vår Energi plans to drill around 20 exploration wells in the region as part of its strategy to sustain long-term production at 350,000–400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

In addition to oil in the Kobbe formation with good reservoir quality, a 200m oil column was found in the Klappmyss formation, which, despite having poorer reservoir quality, presents new opportunities in the deeper sections of the Goliat ridge.

To support further development, Vår Energi plans to acquire new 3D and 4D seismic data in 2025.

Vår Energi COO Torger Rød said: “It is very encouraging to discover oil close to the Goliat infrastructure and we are excited about the potential additional opportunities presented in the Goliat ridge.

“Three more wells are expected to be drilled in 2025, the Zagato North, Zagato South and Goliat North wells, targeting similar opportunities in the Goliat ridge between the Goliat field and the Countach discovery. 

“The potential to unlock significant additional resources is considerable, with the opportunity of being turned into high-value barrels by utilising available production capacity at the Goliat facility.”

The additional gross prospective recoverable resources in the Goliat ridge, including the Zagato North, Zagato South and Goliat North prospects, are estimated to exceed 100mboe.