ROCKHOPPER Exploration, the North Falkland Basin oil and gas explorer, said yesterday it had secured three additional well slots on the Ocean Guardian drilling rig.
The firm also announced that the acquisition of new 3D seismic data to the south of the Sea Lion discovery well, on licence PL032, has been completed and the company intended to fast-track the processing of this data.
It is anticipated that the resulting data will become available to the company in July.
Rockhopper said the wider seismic acquisition programme, over areas of licences PL024, PL032 and PL033 and adjacent areas, is ongoing.
Rockhopper chief executive Sam Moody said: “The additional rig slots will see Rockhopper continuing an exciting and considerable work programme in the North Falkland Basin this year.
“Our understanding of the basin has advanced following the Sea Lion discovery, and will be further enhanced by our current appraisal operations, together with new seismic data. This information will be valuable in identifying our forward drilling programme.”
Meanwhile, Nautical Petroleum said a rig contract had been signed with Awilco Drilling for its next activity on the Kraken discovery in the UK central North Sea.
The WilHunter rig is to drill a horizontal appraisal well and carry out a production test this summer.
Nautical said the key purpose of the well was to prove a commercial flow rate and gather further information on reservoir quality and distribution in the core area of the field.
Assuming success, the well will be suspended to be used as a future development well.
Nautical holds a 35% share in North Sea block 9/2b and is the operator.