Aberdeen-based Dana Petroleum is partnering with RWE to start drilling operations on a prospect in the Southern North Sea.
The companies are targeting the Severn prospect in blocks 43/17a, 43/18a which comprises Carboniferous sandstones. RWE is the operator for the drilling operations which will start in a few days time.
The well is the third the company has drilled in the UKCS this year and is planned to reach total depth in seven weeks. Both Dana and RWE, the operator, have 50 per cent stakes in the project.
Dana’s UK Managing Director Paul Griffin said: “Severn is a long-planned part of our 2013 drilling programme in the North Sea and further underlines our long-term commitment to the UKCS.”
No Hydrocarbons at Magnolia
Dana has also completed the drilling of Magnolia (Licence P.1610, Block 13/23a) exploration prospect. The exploration well achieved its primary targets within the Lower Cretaceous interval, however no significant hydrocarbons were encountered. The well will now be plugged and abandoned. Dana’s partners were Summit Petroleum Ltd (25%), Trap Oil (10%) and Atlantic Petroleum (20%).
The company used the Ocean Nomad drilling rig which it also plans to use for development drilling on the company’s $1.6bn Western Isles project later in 2013.