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2024
No significant news in 2024.
2023
No significant news in 2023.
2022
May 2022: PSE Kinsale Energy (Petronas) will remove the Kinsale Head gas field steel platforms in the Celtic Sea after ceasing gas production in July 2020. The 2 platforms were commissioned in 1978. Alpha lies in Block 49/16 and Bravo in Block 48/20. They will be transported to a dismantling yard in the Netherlands.
2021
Nov 2021: Equinor will abandon its offshore wind projects and sell its non-operated 36.5% share of the Corrib offshore gas project to, operator, Vermillion Energy for US$434 mm. Corrib started production in 2015, 83 kms off the NW coast in water depths of 336m.
Mar 2021: PSE Kinsale Energy is preparing to decommission its Kinsale area gas fields. A subsea well abandonment campaign is expected to continue until November 2021 using the Stena Spey semi-sub.
2020
Jul 2020: Petronas (PSE Kinsale Energy) shut down gas production from the offshore Kinsale Head fields discovered in 1971 in 93 m of water. They produced from 2 steel platforms (Alpha and Bravo) since 1978, later tied to Ballycotton, Southwest Kinsale and Seven Heads fields via subsea facilities. Southwest Kinsale has already been redeveloped for offshore gas storage.
Jun 2020: Europa announced conditional acquisition of 100% in Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 3/19 from DNO containing the Edge Prospect. It lies 18km east of the producing Corrib gas field in the Slyne basin and close to the Inishkea Prospect on Europa’s FEL 4/19. The company will now relaunch farmout of its strategic position in the Slyne Basin.
2019
Sep 2019: During the UN Climate Action Summit the An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated that the Government’s intention is to phase out oil exploration licenses in the future. Exploration for gas will continue as a transition fuel.
May 2019: Predator (operator, 50%) and Theseus (50%) announced that development of the Ram Head field (discovered in 1984 but not tested), in Licensing Option 16/30 of the Celtic Sea, is feasible with 10 wells completed in 3 zones. A production plateau of 4 bcm a year is envisaged, exploiting reserves of 50 bcm. Gas would be piped to the Kinsale Head line after decommissioning of the Kinsale Head field..
2018
Sep 2018: Providence and partners have signed an amended farm-out agreement with APEC Energy for SEL 1/11 containing the Barryroe oil field in a water depth of around 100 m within the North Celtic Sea basin. It comprises drilling 4 vertical wells and one horizontal side track with an option for two additional horizontal wells across the structure.
Aug 2018: Shannon LNG agreed with New Fortress Energy to develop an LNG import terminal on the Shannon Estuary in County Kerry. LNG will be regasified and delivered into the national gas network via a 26 km pipeline to Foynes. It is expected to commence operations by the end of 2020.
2017
Sep 2017: Providence Resources (operator, 80%) and Lansdowne Celtic Sea (20%) will continue drilling plans for the offshore Barryroe oil discovery despite farm-in talks not progressing. Barryroe lies in SEL 1/11 in just under 100mof water in the North Celtic Sea Basin. The first well may be drilled in 1H 2019 and cost US$20 million followed by a possible sidetrack.
Jul 2017: Providence (operator, 56%) provided an update on Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 2/14 in the southern Porcupine Basin. The Stena 'IceMAX' deepwater drillship has commenced drilling the 53/6-A well to evaluate stacked Paleocene Druid and Lower Cretaceous Drombeg prospects. Partners are Capricorn (subsidiary of Cairn, 30%) and Sosina (14%).
2016
Jun 2016: The Minister of State for Natural Resources announced the offer of 14 new Licensing Options following the conclusion of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round. These awards are the second phase of awards following on from the first phase of 14 in February. A total of 43 applications were received by in 2015. The offers involve 11 companies.
May 2016: The Corrib field continues to produce strongly with minimal downtime. Five of the six wells are capable of production with the remaining well to be brought online soon, concluding the offshore work program.
Feb 2016: Fourteen new Licensing Options have been awarded following conclusion of the first phase of awards in the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round in the southern Porcupine Basin. Seven companies will operate; Eni, Europa, ExxonMobil, Nexen, Scotia, Statoil and Woodside along with BP who will partner Eni. The final phase of awards is planned for May.
Feb 2016: Providence has issued an update on 3 undeveloped fields in the North Celtic Sea basin. Farm-in discussions are continuing for the Barryroe oil field and an appraisal well is being considered. Development studies are proceeding for the Helvick oil discovery and a 2-year lease undertaking for the Dunmore oil discovery is allowing for evaluation of development options.
2015
Dec 2015: Shell (operator, 45%) announced the Corrib gas field, in nearly 350m of water, has come onstream. It is expected to produce around 2. 7 bcm of gas a year at peak from 6 wells with gas transported to the Bellanaboy Bridge Gas Terminal in county Mayo. Partners are Statoil (36.5%) and Vermilion (18.5%).
2014
Sep 2015: The 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round drew a record 43 applications. All the main Atlantic basins, Porcupine, Goban Spur, Slyne, Erris, Donegal, and Rockall, were included. The government plans to award 2-year licensing options with terms not including drilling.
Jun 2014: The Minister for Natural Resources announced the details of the 2015 Atlantic Margin Licensing Round which will close in Sept 2015. It will be a 2-year Licensing Option including all major Atlantic basins; Porcupine, Goban Spur, Slyne, Erris, Donegal and Rockall. Exploration drilling will not take place under the Options. The previous Atlantic Margin Licensing Round was in 2011.
May 2014: Tunnel boring operations have been completed at the Corrib project, which will serve as a conduit for the onshore gas pipeline. First gas is expected in mid-2015 with peak production estimated at 3.2 bcm a year. The Corrib gas field was discovered in 1996 by Enterprise Oil and is estimated to contain 28 bcm of gas. Partners are Shell (operator, 45%), Statoil (36.5%) and Vermilion (18.5%).
2013
May 2013: Cairn Energy has farmed-in to two licences, FEL 2/04 and FEL 4/08, in the Porcupine Basin. The former contains the Spanish Point and Burren discoveries. The licences are currently operated by Chrysaor (60%) with Providence (32%) and SOSINA Exploration (8%). Cairn will acquire 38% and Operatorship. Drilling of the first appraisal well on Spanish Point is targeted for mid 2014.
Apr 2013: Providence Resources has provided an update on Barryroe oil field in SEL 1/11 in 100m water depth, 50 kms off the south coast in the North Celtic Sea Basin. The total recoverable resources are now estimated at 311 mm bbls of oil and 5.9 bcm of gas. Barryroe has had 6 wells drilled on the structure, 4 in the 1970's by Esso, an appraisal in 1990 by Marathon, and the latest by Providence in 2011. Providence holds 80% and operates with Lansdowne Oil and Gas(20%).
Apr 2013: ExxonMobil is drilling two deep water wells at a cost of US$160m off the west coast at the Dunquin licence area in the Porcupine Basin, 200 kms offshore. ExxonMobil controls 27.5%, with Eni (27.5%), Repsol (25% ), Providence (16%) and Sosina (4%). The semi-submersible rig, Erik Raude, will drill the wells, operating out of Cork.
2012
Oct 2012: Providence Resources announced it will use a recovery factor of 31% for development planning of its Barryroe oil field in the Celtic Sea. The development involves 41 horizontal production and 22 horizontal water injection wells over a 25 year life. In July, Providence estimated 280 mm bbls of recoverable oil. Production potential may be 100,000 bbls per day.
Northwest Europe
Excel files - histories and forecasts of production and wells in any category for all countries and regions
