UK focused exploration and production company Siccar Point Energy announced Tuesday it has has commenced its 2019 offshore drilling campaign with the spudding of an exploration well at the Blackrock prospect West of Shetland.
The campaign, using Diamond Offshore’s Ocean GreatWhite semi-submersible rig, is expected to take around five months and also includes the Lyon exploration prospect North of Shetland, Siccar Point said.
The Blackrock licence is located 140 km north-west of Shetland, directly between the Rosebank and Cambo oil fields in the Corona Ridge area. Siccar Point acquired its operated interest in the P.1830 licence in 2017 by acquiring OMV UK Limited. Shell UK Limited joined the current Blackrock licence holders, Siccar Point and Suncor Energy UK Limited, last year in a deal with Siccar Point which included a 30% non-operated interest in Cambo.
Siccar Point is operator of P.1830 with 52.5% interest. Partners Suncor Energy UK and Shell UK hold 25% and 22.5% respectively.
The Blackrock prospect targets multiple reservoirs similar to those underlying the neighboring Rosebank field. If successful, it will add substantial resources as well as de-risk a portfolio of other exploration prospects in the region, the operator said.
Siccar Point CEO Jonathan Roger explained, “Blackrock is a very important prospect within our Corona Ridge acreage, and we are pleased to have progressed to the exploration drilling stage. We have a very exciting 2019 in front of us with two material exploration wells to drill and progressing the Cambo development forward to project sanction.”
Siccar Point said it will progress exploration drilling at the material Lyon gas prospect immediately following the Blackrock well.