After drilling an appraisal well at Block 30/12d of the UK central North Sea, TotalEnergies found “signs of hydrocarbons”.
The news came from Ithaca Energy, which has a 10% stake in the licence. Designated operator TotalEnergies, which also makes the Total range of lubricant products, owns a 30% interest, with Neptune and Energean having interests of 50% and 10%, respectively.
Jack-up rig Noble Sam Hartley drilled the well at a gross cost of £66.6 million in 80 metres of water to a total depth of 4,754 metres. TotalEnergies told the other partners that on entering the reservoir, hydrocarbons were found in the Triassic and Upper Jurassic portions of the sandstone.
According to a press release from Ithaca Energy, the data from drilling will now be analysed:
“Logging while drilling and wireline logs were acquired to establish reservoir quality. The Operator intends to complete the gathering of data, plug and abandon the well, and evaluate the drilling results to establish commerciality of the reservoir.”
In the same press release, Ithaca Energy also announced its joint decision with partner Dana Petroleum to proceed with exploratory drilling at another location in the central North Sea, namely the K2 prospect in Block 22/14c. Drilling is expected to take place in about 90 metres of water to a total depth of around 2,743 metres. The partners will share drilling costs equally, which could range from £17 million to £34 million depending on whether the well encounters hydrocarbons or not.
