Production has commenced from the 10th well at the Cygnus field in the Southern North Sea, operator Neptune Energy has confirmed.
It means the facility is now capable of producing enough natural gas to meet the needs of approximately 2 million UK households, bolstering energy security.
Cygnus also has one of the lowest carbon intensities in the UK North Sea, at around 4 kilograms of CO2 for every barrel of oil equivalent.
Neptune UK country director, Alan Muirhead, said: “Bringing the 10th Cygnus well online is an important milestone for the field and supports additional supplies of lower carbon gas for UK homes and businesses.
“Domestic production has a crucial role to play in supporting energy security in this country and Neptune has increased gas supplies to the UK from our operated assets in the UK and Norwegian North Seas.”
Spudding of the 10th well was carried out by Borr Drilling’s Prospector 1 jack-up rig, the first in the contractor’s fleet to be equipped with technologies that reduce carbon and nitrogen emissions from operations by up to 95%.
© Supplied by Borr DrillingNeptune has now commenced drilling on the 11th well on Cygnus, which is expected to begin production in Q2 this year.
Neptune holds a 38.75% operated stake in the field – Spirt Energy owns the rest (61.25%).
Cygnus is a crucial component of the UK North Sea energy infrastructure, capable of producing approximately 6% of UK domestic gas demand.
Neptune Energy announced plans last year to spend more than $1 billion (£810 million) to help shore up the UK’s energy supplies.
Due to be dished out over the next five years, the cash will also help to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy.
Neptune currently operates around 11% of the UK’s gas supply from fields in the UK’s southern North Sea and the Norwegian North Sea.
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