Column Height Controls in the Western Hammerfest Basin

We have compiled information on hydrocarbon column heights and structural setting for 16 drilled structures in the western Hammerfest Basin Barents Sea, most of which were dry or underfilled. The column height of the structures appear to be controlled by updip fault intersections, as the two structures without updip intersecting faults are the only structures that are filled to spillpoint. All of the dry structures that have leaked have intersecting faults updip of the well position. The nine underfilled structures are delineated by several faults. We have not yet been able to identify individual updip column-restricting fault intersections for these structures as several alternatives exist. Our work suggests that vertical fluid flow along intersecting faults is the main cause of leaked structures in the area, but that the road towards safer column height predictions is still elusive.