Kosmos Energy and partner Europa Oil & Gas are eyeing exploration drilling on new prospects offshore Ireland following new 3D seismic data on frontier exploration licenses (FEL) 2/13 and 3/13 licenses in the South Porcupine Basin.
Kosmos Energy acquired the new 3D seismic in 2013, using Polarcus' Polarcus Amani (pictured) resulting to "material changes" to the prospectivity previously mapped on the licenses using historic 2D seismic data, says Europa.
In FEL 3/13 two prospects, Beckett and Wilde, and one lead, Shaw, have been identified. Together, these have gross mean unrisked prospective resources of 760MMbo for Beckett, and 493MMbo for Wilde.
In FEL 2/13 two new prospects, Doyle A and Doyle B, were identified with gross mean unrisked prospective resources of 123MMbo for Doyle A and 69MMbo for Doyle B.
Europe says further seismic analysis work is being conducted to provide a definitive prospect risking and ranking. It is expected that this work will be completed in H1 2015 and will enable a decision to be made regarding next steps on the licenses, including the possibility of detailed drilling planning and preparatory work to enable an exploration well to be drilled as early as 2016.
According to Polarcus, Geologically, the southern Porcupine Basin is an under explored Mesozoic rift basin with a working hydrocarbon system offering multiple exploration plays.
Image: The project area covered by Polarcus' multi-client 3D survey offshore Ireland in 2013.
Europa's CEO, Hugh Mackay said: "Geophysical studies are now being performed to clarify prospect risk and ranking with a view to inform a drilling decision, expected to be in H1 2015. If positive this could lead to what could be a company-making well for Europa being drilled in 2016. More information will become available over the coming months as our plans mature and we look forward to updating the markets in due course. These are very exciting times for Europa."
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