Shell Shoots Seismic At UK Gas Prospect
Shell has embarked on a 3D seismic survey at the Pensacola prospect in the UK North Sea, its London-based venture partner Cluff Natural Resources (CNR) reported on August 5.
Shell, which secured operatorship and a 70% stake in licence P2252 containing Pensacola in a farm-in deal in May, hired Norway’s Shearwater GeoServices to conduct the survey.
The research group’s Polar Empress seismic vessel arrived on site on August 2 and operations began on August 5, CNR said in a statement. The survey is expected to take two weeks to complete, with final results anticipated early in the third quarter of 2020.
CNR CEO Graham Swindells noted that the seismic shoot marked the North Sea-focused company’s first field operation.
“The Pensacola prospect is an exciting opportunity, worked up by the Cluff team, and the acquisition of high-quality modern 3D seismic over the prospect is a key step in de-risking future exploration drilling activities,” Swindells said.
CNR raised £15mn ($18.2mn) through a share placing in June to cover its shares of costs at P2252 and a second North Sea licence Shell farmed into, known as P2437. P2252 lies northwest of the producing Breagh gas field and holds 309bn ft3 of P50 recoverable gas within the untested Zechstein Reef, according to CNR.