Omani operator Petrogas has announced its maiden offshore gas discovery in the UK North Sea following a recent drilling campaign.
Petrogas embarked on its drilling campaign in August, and said it encountered gas in the Baker well at UKCS block 47/3f-16.
Petrogas recently took on a 100% equity stake in the Baker well from Cornerstone Resources, after taking on a 70% stake in 2022.
The firm described the well results, which spudded on September 12, as “significantly better than expected, with improved reservoir characteristics”.
Offshore assets close to the Baker well include the Perenco-operated Minerva platform and the Spirit Energy-operated York platform.
The Noble Resilient drilling rig will now move to the Abbey gas field, where Petrogas has an 85% stake, in block 47/3i to drill another appraisal well.
The Petrogas drilling campaign comes as operators have significantly scaled back exploration drilling in the UK North Sea in recent years.
The Baker and Abbey campaign comes after Shell and Deltic Energy began drilling the first well of 2024 at the Selene prospect in July.
Harbour Energy also recently spudded the Gilderoy well at licence 15/28b using the Paul B. Loyd Jnr semi-submersible rig on 15 September.
Petrogas North Sea operations
Petrogas chief executive Kingsuk Sen said he is “proud” the operator has safely delivered its first offshore exploration discovery.
“I look forward to the team integrating Baker with the Abbey field and bring them both towards development,” he said.
Usama Al Barwani, vice chairman of Petrogas parent firm MB Holding, said the operator is “committed to contribute towards energy security” by tapping its gas resource potential in the North Sea.
© Supplied by PetrogasAl Barwani said Petrogas looks forward to “continuous collaboration” with the UK government in support of these goals.
The Muscat-headquartered firm is steadily increasing its foothold in the North Sea, securing a single block in the latest tranche of the 33rd licensing round.
Baker and Abbey
Last year, Petrogas set out plans to drill Baker, which it farmed into in 2022, alongside its Abbey discovery.
Baker, in licence P2433, has a competent persons report last year citing 56 billion cubic feet of prospective resources.
© Spirit EnergyAbbey, in licence P2582, has audited proven and probable reserves of 111 billion standard cubic feet (bscf) of sales gas and 0.6 million barrels (MMbbl) of condensate.
Earlier this year, Petrogas project manager Matt Gulland told an industry event in Aberdeen that the firm is looking at taking over the York hub from Spirit Energy as a tie-back to develop the Abbey prospect.
Birgitta – ETAP or Montrose
Petrogas is also mulling options for the host on its upcoming Birgitta project in the Central North Sea, with FID due next year and first gas in 2027.
The two-well project will either go to BP’s ETAP platform or Repsol’s Montrose-Arbroath hub.
Mr Gulland said discussions are underway with both operators on the engineering requirements to take the production, with both having “advantages and disadvantages”.
Petrogas has not disclosed its resource estimates for the development.
The Geological Society of London has previously said a two-well development could be expected to yield 50-100 billion cubic feet of gas and 3-6 million barrels of condensate.
