Updated April 1, 2026.
NCS Exploration Drilling Updates – March 31, 2026👏.. Since my last update, three (3) wells have concluded drilling operations. Currently, one (1) exploration well is being drilled on the NCS👏. Details..⤵️
➡️ Active Well:
– Well 34/8-A-37 H: Ongoing wildcat well by Equinor in the Northern North Sea – Tampen Spur area (PL 120). Spud date – Jan. 17 by Visund rig. Likely targets – Triassic reservoirs / (Lower Jurassic?). Partners – Petoro AS, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia, Repsol Norge 👏
➡️ Drilling Results:
– Well 7220/7-5: Equinor has concluded the drilling of “Polynya-Tubåen” prospect in the Barents Sea – area (PL 532), with oil discovery being made in Early Jurassic reservoirs. Partners – Vår Energi, Petoro AS. 👏 Click for details
– Well 35/11-32 S: Equinor has concluded drilling of the “Byrding-C” prospect in the Northern North Sea – Lomre Terrace area (PL 090 HS), with oil discovery being made in . Partner – Inpex-Idemitsu Norge AS 👏 Click for details
– Well 34/4-19 S: Equinor has concluded drilling of “Omega Sør” prospect in the Northern North Sea – Tampen Spur area (PL 057), with oil discovery being made in . Partners – Petoro, Harbour Energy, Inpex-Idemitsu Norge AS, Vår Energi AS 👏 Click for details
➡️ Summary / Comments:
– Current YTD technical success rate for 2026 exploration drilling is 75% (8 wildcats, 6 discoveries, 2 dry holes)… **for wells completed in 2026. The six discoveries were all Jurassic discoveries, across the three (3) main NCS regions.👏
The two dry holes ( 1 Jurassic target and 1 Triassic / Basement target).
– The upcoming APA 2026 licensing round is about a month away. Do contact me if you need some support in preparing and putting your licence applications together. 👉 Results from the 2025 APA awards validated my recommended plays in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea Basins. Don’t take my word for it, simply go and check my recommended plays in 2024/25 and then check the awarded licences for 2024 and 2025… Feel free to contact me for highgraded areas / leads within those plays.
➡️ As always, contact me for – recommended plays and play areas, prospect critical work / reviews, identified lead opportunities, farm-in candidates, and well predictions …
Email – consulting@ytfexploration.com👏
Website – https://www.ytfexploration.com.
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Tags: NCS, Exploration, Wildcats, Drilling, Barents Sea, Prospect Reviews, Norwegian Continental Shelf, Jurassic plays, North Sea, APA 2026, Licensing rounds, Prospectivity.
Featured Image: Deepsea Atlantic Rig (Source – Odfjell Drilling).
