Lundin Petroleum has hit pay in its Torphins exploration well in the UK sector of the North Sea.

The 21/8-4Z well was drilled in the Central North Sea and is now being completed as an oil and gas discovery.

Lundin said well 21/8-4 and geologic sidetrack 21/8-4Z reached total depths of 8,177ft (2,494m) and 7,250ft (2,211m) respectively and that both the main well and sidetrack encountered oil and gas in the Palaeocene sandstone reservoir.

Results from the well, which is being drilled with the Transocean Arctic II semisubmersible, are now being analysed to firm up the commerciality of the discovery.

The well spudded on 20 June and plugging and abandonment operations are expected to be completed next week.

Wells 21/8-4 and sidetrack 21/8-4Z are located 12km north of the Lundin-operated Scolty discovery drilled in late 2007.
Lundin is the operator with 40%, while its partners are Challenger Minerals and Revus Energy.