Vår Energi said on 16 January 2026 it has completed an appraisal well with two production tests on the Zagato structure in the Goliat Ridge area of the Barents Sea, confirming reservoir quality and adding recoverable volumes.
The well was drilled about 7,000 m northeast of the Vår Energi-operated Goliat field. Test results indicated good reservoir properties, with oil quality described as comparable to the Goliat field.
Two intervals were tested, and each recorded maximum flow rates of more than 4,000 barrels of oil per day, supporting the reservoir assessment.
COO Torger Rød said the outcome strengthens confidence in the area’s potential and points to tie-back opportunities to Goliat. He added that recent finds reinforce the company’s exploration position on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and underpin its ability to sustain production of 350,000–400,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day beyond 2030.
Vår Energi and licence partner Equinor have drilled five wells and one sidetrack in the area. Including the latest well, gross discovered recoverable resources are estimated at 35–138 million barrels of oil equivalents, with additional prospective resources lifting total gross potential to more than 200 million barrels of oil equivalents.
A tie-back to the nearby Goliat FPSO is being planned, targeting first production in 2019. The company also said it was awarded an adjacent licence in the 2025 APA round.
