THE UK sector is not the only part of the North West Europe Continental Shelf where Q1 drilling activity is behind the same period in 2009.
According to Deloitte’s latest activity survey, even Norway is substantially down over the two quarters.
A total of 12 exploration and appraisal wells were started in Norwegian waters, of which 10 are exploration probes.
However, Deloitte points out that this is down by 20% when compared with the first quarter of the record-breaking 2009, and down by 25% when compared with the previous quarter (Q4 2009).
The majority of the wells were drilled in the North Sea, the region contributing 75% of the country’s wells, with the remaining 25% of the wells situated in the Norwegian Sea.
Well operators in the Norwegian sector enjoyed relative success, with five wells encountering hydrocarbons.
Only four of the nine exploration wells were classified as dry, with one well to be re-entered to complete in the near future.
Just one exploration well has been drilled in the Dutch sector so far this year – two fewer than during the previous quarter, and three fewer than in Q1 2009.
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