TotalEnergies (PARIS: TTE) has kicked off hotly-anticipated appraisal drilling at the Isabella discovery in the UK North Sea.
It is hoping to firm up volumes of 120 million barrels of oil equivalent at the central North Sea find; a sizeable prize for the ageing region.
According to data published by the North Sea Transition Authority, the 30/12d well was spudded yesterday in licence P1820.
Partner Neptune Energy has described Isabella as “one of the most exciting prospects” in the UK Central North Sea.
Results are expected in mid-2023.
TotalEnergies holds a 30% stake in the project, partnered with Neptune Energy (30%), Ithaca Energy (10%) and Energean (10%).
Neptune Energy previously confirmed a shared pot of $100m invested in the project, split between the partners.
Isabella lies around 25 miles south of TotalEnergies’ Elgin-Franklin field, though there are several tie-back options available.
Commenting on the spudding, analysis firm Welligence said: “(Harbour Energy’s) Judy is 10 km to the northeast and the most logical, but TotalEnergies may elect for a longer tie-back to its own Elgin infrastructure.
“Both hubs will be producing beyond 2030, which could be extended further in the event Isabella is successful. Utilisation at Elgin is higher than at Judy, however both currently have capacity and with potential production from Isabella some years away, this is likely to increase.”
It comes amid a year of misses so far for E&A in the North Sea.
Shell’s Edinburgh and Jaws exploration wells failed to find commercial volumes, while Harbour Energy’s Dunnottar prospect found only “marginal accumulations”.
The Deltic-Shell prospect Pensacola will drill this month in the Southern North Sea, while Shell’s Orlov and TotalEnergies’ Benriach are other potential prospects for the tail end of 2022.
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