Offshore drilling in the North Sea rose by 45% from the second to the third quarter of 2011, but overall activity is falling, according to new figures released by Deloitte.

‘The North West Europe Review’, compiled by Deloitte’s Petroleum Services Group, reveals that while a total of 16 exploration and appraisal wells were spudded in the UK sector between 1 July and 30 September 2011, 11 were spudded in the second quarter.

A total of 37 exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled in the UK so far for 2011, 41% less than the same period last year.