Petronas subsidiary PSE Seven Heads has started drilling on the Midleton prospect offshore Ireland, according to partner Landsdowne Oil & Gas.
PSE Seven Heads, a subsidiary of Petronas' PSE Kinsale Energy is using Diamond Offshore Drilling's Ocean Guardian semisubmersible drilling rig to drill the well, in SEL 4/07, which covers part-blocks 49/11, 49/12, 49/17 and 49/18, immediately southeast of the Kinsale Head gas field, in the Celtic Sea offshore southeast Ireland.
Kinsale Energy holds 80% interest in the license with Lansdowne holding the remaining 20%.
The Midleton prospect, about 20km northeast of the Kinsale Head field, has been estimated to contain 330 Bcf gas initially in place, according to Landsdowne.
Kinsale Energy has been productin natural gas from its facilities off the Old Head of Kinsale since 1978. The company was acquired by Petronas in April 2009. Kinsale Energy also operates Kinsale Head, Ballycotton and Seven Heads gas fields in the Celtic Sea and a natural gas storage field (Southwest Kinsale).