NINETEEN mobile rigs are currently drilling 25 wells on the UKCS; four exploration, seven appraisals and 14 development/production, the latter including batch drilling programmes.
The number of units employed on E&A drilling therefore remains at 11 rigs; four semi-submersibles, six jackups and a solitary drillship. We note 38 E&A well starts so far this year, comprising 24 spuds and 14 sidetracks. Mostly due to poor weather, just four new spuds have been recorded since the last report, although further starts are eagerly awaiting a suitable weather window.
On development and production drilling, nine of the ongoing programmes are utilising mobile rigs (including those on batch drilling) in contrast to just three platform-based well drilling operations. Development/production drilling is holding up well this year with 101 well starts, comprising 55 spuds and 44 sidetracks.
West of Shetland: two mobiles are active on E&A wells. The Stena Carron is understood to be suspending Hess’s deepwater Cambo appraisal, well 204/10a-4Z, and will move to drill 213/28-1 on Chevron’s Aberlour prospect. Awilco’s WilPhoenix is thought to be suspending Hurricane’s Whirlwind re-entry following a drill-stem test. It will return to the Central North Sea to drill the Erne prospect on block 21/29d for Antrim.
Northern North Sea: The Sedco 714, on Total’s 3/14a-19 Ardbeg prospect well, temporarily remains the only unit employed on E&A activity in the area. Awilco’s WilHunter suspended the horizontal sidetrack on Nautical’s Kraken well 9/2b-5Z and the rig has since gone on to successfully spud well 3/3b-13 to appraise the Orlando find for MPX. After 44 days, EnQuest plugged well 2/5-27 on the Ivy prospect. The rig Joh Shaw has since spudded the 21/13-5a (Crathes) exploration well in the Central North Sea.
Central North Sea: The Transocean Prospect initiated a second sidetrack for Nexen’s Polecat South appraisal, 20/4a-10; and BG took the Ocean Nomad off development drilling to spud exploration well 22/15-4 on the Esperanza prospect on October 9. Three heavy-duty jack-ups remain on high pressure / high temperature probes. BG’s sidetracked Jackdaw appraisal, 30/2a-8Z, with Gorilla VI, Maersk’s Culzean appraisal, 22/25a-11 with Ensco 101 and GDF Suez Faraday exploration well 30/1a-11, with Galaxy II.
Southern North Sea: Two wells are drilling. The most recent spud is Wintershall’s Wingate appraisal, 44/24b-A2, which spudded on October 26 using the Ensco 80. The field came on stream via well 44/24b-A7Z on October 16. Perenco’s Leman South appraisal, well 53/2a-14 (re-spud) was sidetracked mid-month by the Energy Enhancer.
At what was the third attempt (the first two in 2008 and 2010 being junked above the reservoir) E.ON managed to drill the Tolmount prospect. It both made a gas discovery and finally satisfied the outstanding licence commitment. Well 42/28d-12 was drilled by the jack-up Ensco 92 and encountered a Leman sandstone gas column of more than 61m (200ft) which was subsequently tested. Block 42/28d partner is KNOC subsidiary Dana.
As if 2011 E&A drilling levels were not already dire enough, weather conditions offshore the UK in the last month have compounded the problem, delaying many drilling operations and rig moves. With various rigs set to mobilise when conditions permit, the last two months of 2011 might even resemble a mini-boom.
Simon Robertshaw’s column is courtesy of North Sea drilling analysts Hannon Westwood
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