Towards the end of August, three wells, comprising two exploration and one appraisal, were active, but with no new spuds since our last report.
However, one new exploration sidetrack was initiated, while the 10 spuds to date this year may by the time this is published have become 11 as a CNS exploration spud was expected late August.
West of Shetland
In the West of Shetland sector, Hurricane is continuing to appraise its Lancaster discovery with the pilot hole well 205/21a-7 still drilling ahead utilising the Transocean Spitsbergen.
Meanwhile, JX Nippon abandoned its Loanan well in early July. Though the result of the probe had still not been revealed at the time of writing, there were indications that a discovery could have been made, although this is likely to be a technical rather than commercial find.
Northern North Sea
In the Northern North Sea, Apache has side-tracked its Storr exploration well, 9/19b-19, with this understood to be geological, rather than mechanical, following initial spud on June 30 with the Awilco WilPhoenix.
IOG has now abandoned its programme on Skipper. While successful in the primary appraisal objective, the two deeper Palaeocene exploration prospects were dry. The Sedco 704 has since moved to port in the Cromarty Firth.
Central North Sea
Premier abandoned its Bagpuss exploration/appraisal well in early August and, while hydrocarbons were encountered, including 12.5m (41ft) of hydrocarbon-bearing sands (25 – 33% porosity) within a 21m (68ft) hydrocarbon column, we understand that this remains a technical discovery, at least until further post-well analysis is conducted.
Meanwhile, Nexen is preparing to spud its Komodo exploration well on block 38/2, once the rig, Paragon MSS1, arrives on location from Amsterdam.
The well, an exploration test on the Mid North Sea High, is targeting Zechstein and Rotliegendes prospectivity and results from this will be key for future exploration in the area. Other than this imminent spud, the CNS is devoid of any active E&A drilling.
Southern North Sea
Wintershall is currently conducting testing operations on its Winchelsea well with the Paragon HZ1 – operations on this are expected to soon wrap-up, with a commercial result likely. The well spudded on May 26. This is the only exploration probe drilled to date this year in the Gas Basin.
Overview
With a potential three further successes to be reported for August, the discovered UKCS 2016 hydrocarbons pool to date of just 11 mmbbls has now crept up.
However, with both the Bagpuss and Loanan wells unlikely to be commercial, although this has yet to be confirmed in either case, the pre-drill 100billion cu.ft resources in Winchelsea are the only firm indication of any commercial success, providing results from testing operations are indeed positive.
There is now some reliance on Komodo and Storr to deliver the necessary volumes to match last year’s finding rate of some 12.5million barrels oil equivalent per well.
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