Equinor and BP Strike Oil Offshore Canada

Equinor and BP Canada have made two oil discoveries offshore Newfoundland, Canada, Equinor reported Thursday.

Drilled this summer by the Transocean Barents semi-submersible rig, the two wells at the Cappahayden and Cambriol prospects in the Flemish Pass Basin have proven the presence of hydrocarbons, Equinor noted in a written statement emailed to Rigzone. The operator, which owns a 60-percent interest, added that it is too soon to provide specifics on volumes for the wells – located roughly 311 miles (500 kilometers) east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, who have executed a safe campaign with positive results – particularly considering the unique challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic,” remarked Paul McCafferty, Equinor’s senior vice president for international offshore exploration.

Equinor stated the water depths for Cappahayden and Cambriol are approximately 3,281 feet (1,000 meters) and 1,969 feet (600 meters), respectively. The company also noted that its 2020 exploration campaign has included a top-hole drilled at the Sitka prospect.

Active in Canada for more than two decades, Equinor currently operates three Flemish Pass discoveries: Bay du Nord, Harpoon and Mizzen. It also owns interests in the Terra Nova, Hibernia and Hebron fields, located in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin.

To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com