British oil major BP has made a small gas find in the Norwegian Sea, with reserves preliminary estimated at between 1.2 and 2.3 billion cubic metres, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said.

The wildcat well drilled to a total vertical depth of 2,923m below the sea surface proved gas about 20km north of the Skarv field and about five kilometres east of the Marulk field, it said in a statement.

BP has a 30 per cent stake in the licence while Statoil has 30 per cent, E.ON 25 per cent and PGNiG 15 per cent.

Reuters