North sea oil explorer Valiant Petroleum has entered into a contract to secure a rig slot on the Stena Carron drillship for the Handcross prospect west of Shetland.
Valiant said yesterday it expected to get use of the Stena Carron within the first quarter of 2013.
Handcross is estimated to have gross prospective resources of 180million barrels of oil equivalent. It is operated and 90% owned by Valiant, with Sussex Energy holding a 10% stake.