Offshore staff
LONDON – Centrica subsidiary Hydrocarbon Resources Ltd. (HRL) has agreed to farm in as operator of blocks 113/26b and 27c, and adjacent block 113/22a in the East Irish Sea.
HRL will paySerica Energy’s share of costs for drilling an exploration well on the Triassic Doyle gas prospect in return for a 45% interest in the license. The well will spud early in HRL’s next drilling campaign in the area. The company is preparing to tender for a suitable rig.
Last November Britain awarded Serica a 35% operated interest in block 113/22a which may contain an extension to the Doyle prospect. Commitments include obtaining 150 km (93 mi) of 2D seismic data and a drill-or-drop decision on a well within three years.
In the central UK North Sea, Serica has a 15% interest in block 22/19c, two blocks west of its prospectiveColumbus gas field. Following a farm-out to new operator JX Nippon, Serica is carried on all costs including drilling of an exploration well.
RecentlyJX Nippon reached an agreement under which Eni will join the partners to accelerate the program. They have identified deep-lying, high-pressure/high-temperature potential in the Jurassic and Triassic, with one structure thought to potentially hold 243 MMboe of resources.
A site survey is expected to follow this year ahead of an exploration well.
In the southernNorth Sea, Centrica has acquired a new 3D seismic survey over part of the Greater York area blocks (Serica 37.5%). Interpretation is under way of the processed data with a view to choosing a location for an exploration well.
04/10/2014
