Offshore staff
GODALMING, UK – Drilling has started on the Hurricane Energy-operated Lincoln prospect west of Shetland.
The well is targeting a basement structure geologically similar to the nearbyLancaster oil field.
Seismic interpretation indicates a well-connected fault network within the Lincoln basement. The 205/26-1 well drilled by Arco in 1975 on the down-dip flank of the Lincoln structure encountered oil in sandstones immediately above the basement, thereby mitigating the oil charge risk to the prospect.
Hurricane’s subsequent analysis identified traces of oil in the short basement interval that was drilled below the oil-bearing sandstones. This is at a depth of 2,135 m (7,004 ft) TVDSS, is 355 m (1,164 ft) TVD below the structural closure interpreted by RPS Energy in its 2013 competent persons report.
As Lincoln is only 9 km (5.6 mi) from Lancaster, a commercial discovery could be tied in at some point to a hub-based development based at Lancaster.
Following the recent successful pilot well on Lancaster, Hurricane believes Lincoln could hold up to 250 MMbbl, assuming the presence of oil at 2,135 m TVDSS indicates a continuous oil column to this depth.
11/09/2016
