With effect from 30 April 2020 Equinor has increased its interest in PL 293 by 35% through a deal with Var which was reported on 14 May 2020. Operatorship has also been transferred to Equinor. The licence covers 93 sq km over parts of blocks 34/12, 35/7 and 35/10 to the east of Kvitebjorn. It contains the 2008 Afrodite gas discovery and an older discovery made (under a previous licence) by 35/10-2 in 1996.  Afrodite was drilled by 34/12-1 which targeted a Jurassic horst block. 52 m of net pay was proven in the Middle Jurassic Brent Group with a porosity of 13% and less than 0.1 mD of permeability (due to the presence of illite). No gas water contact was found. Recoverable resources are estimated at approximately 40 MMboe (NPD, December 2019).  Statoil drilled 35/10-2 and encountered a 72 m gas column in the Brent Group. The NPD reported recoverable resources of 23 MMboe in December 2016, but now (2020) classifies the find as 'production is unlikely'.  Interest in PL 293 is now divided between Equinor Energy AS (75% + operator) and Var Energi AS (25%).
Equinor has increased its interest in PL 293 by 35% through a deal with Var 