The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has said Norsk Hydro has found oil in its North Sea Klegg prospect.

The NPD said the wildcat well 25/4-9 S, drilled around 11 km (7 miles) north-northeast of the Heimdal field, and four km south-southwest of Vale, proved an approximately 65 m high oil column in sand from the Heimdal subsection of the Lista formation.

The discovery is expected to contain approximately 19-31 million barrels of oil. The NPD said the fact that it is located near existing infrastructure, and in an area with several smaller discoveries, gives rise to expectations for a future development.

The well has been permanently plugged and will be abandoned in the near future.

The drilling installation, the Deepsea Delta, which drilled the well, will proceed to production licence 146 further south in the North Sea.