Study Improves UK Atlantic Margin Prospects

Analysis by geologists at Aberdeen University of the Rockall Basin, offshore northwest Scotland, has revealed previously unknown insights that could aid oil and gas exploration in the North Atlantic, and could lead to new oil and gas discoveries in the UK continental shelf (UKCS).

By studying the latest seismic data supplied by the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and employing lessons learned elsewhere in the UKCS, geologists from the university have gained a clearer understanding of the Rockall basin where of 12 wells drilled, but only one gas discovery was made.

Dr Nick Schofield who led the analysis, funded by a £250,000 award from UK regulator Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), said February 17: “Our analysis has revealed that one of the barriers to success may have been a misunderstanding of the sub-surface geology. By analysing seismic data provided by the OGA and Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), and using what we have learned through our work in the Faroe-Shetland Basin, we found that the character of areas where operators hoped to find oil may have been misleading.”

Analysis of the Rockall Basin has revealed previously unknown insights that could aid oil and gas exploration in the North Atlantic, says Aberdeen University's Dept. of Geology and Petroleum Geology (Photo credit: the university)

Dr Schofield’s paper, Challenges of future exploration within the UK Rockall Basin, is available to view online here.

The new data on which the analysis was based was provided from the OGA’s £20mn seismic campaign of the UKCS Rockall and Mid-North Sea High areas completed by WesternGeco in October 2015.   

Mark Smedley