Shell has hired Fugro to carry out geophysical and geotechnical site survey works over the Pensacola prospect in the UK North Sea, in preparation for the drilling of the Pensacola exploration well.
The piece of news on the survey was shared by Shell's partner in the P2252 offshore license containing the prospect, Deltic Energy.
According to Deltic Energy, previously known as Cluff Natural Resources, the site survey is expected to start at the end of July 2021 and be completed in the third quarter of 2021.
Graham Swindells, Chief Executive of Deltic Energy, said: "The commissioning of the site survey is a key part of the well planning process and represents an important milestone as the Joint Venture continues the preparatory works required in advance of the drilling of the high impact exploration well on the Pensacola prospect. We look forward to continuing to progress through the planning phase towards drilling in May 2022."
Back in March, Deltic said that the May 2022 spud date would allow the joint venture JV to take advantage of a drilling rig that would be hired by Shell as part of a multi-well drilling campaign.
Deltic estimates that the Pensacola Prospect contains gross P50 Prospective Resources of 309 BCF (with a P90-P10 range of 39 BCF to 1,181 BCF). These numbers, according to Deltic, rank Pensacola as one of the highest impact exploration targets to be drilled in the gas basin in recent years.
The company recently said that the joint venture's new interpretation of the 3D seismic data resulted "in a much-improved view of the geological chance of success associated with the prospect which has increased materially from 20% to 55%."