Oil major Shell has announced plans to explore the Pensacola gas prospects in the UK North Sea, with drilling starting mid-November 2022. 

Shell and Deltic Energy, an oil and gas exploration company, have confirmed they will relocate the Maersk Resilient drilling rig to the site.

A statement from Deltic Energy said: “The company looks forward to providing a further update when the rig is on-site at Pensacola and drilling has started.”

Pensacola has approximately 309 billion cubic feet (bcf) of potentially recoverable gas resources. Deltic previously stated that if successful, it will be “one of the highest impact exploration targets to be drilled in the gas basin” in the Southern North Sea recently.

Shell and Deltic could build a new pipeline to the gas processing complex at Teesside if Pensacola tests for a high-volume scenario.

It would be tied back to the Ineos Breagh platform, about 45 miles off the east coast of England, under a low-volume scenario of 75 bcf. Shell also has a 50% stake in the Selene prospect, another Deltic target with a 318 bcf goal.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Shell will operate the licence, which Deltic describes as one of the largest unappraised structures in the Southern Gas Basin’s Leman Sandstone fairway.

Selene was projected to have a gross P50 potential resource of 318 bcf, with a geological success probability of 70%. This means that the quantities recovered will equal or exceed the best estimate.