Hook Head appraisal disappoints Providence

Providence Resources has finished drilling work on its Hook Head appraisal well offshore Ireland and says operations will start shortly on an appraisal of the Dunmore oil discovery.

The Hook Head appraisal well (50/11-4) was drilled on the north-west flank of the Hook Head structure with the GSF Arctic II rig and was successfully drilled to a total depth (TD) of 4,875ft true vertical depth subsea (TVDSS).

However, despite the well encountering 30ft of net hydrocarbon bearing Lower Cretaceous sands above the primary objective, Providence said the net hydrocarbon bearing intervals were substantially less than that which was expected in the pre-drill estimates.

The well has now been plugged and abandoned without testing being carried out.

Providence now says that the initial well results suggest that the majority of the Hook Head resource lies in the central part of the structure already demonstrated by the 50/11-1 and 50/11-3 wells.

“However, the north-west flank could potentially provide additional incremental resources for any future development in the area. The 50/11-4 well results will now be integrated into the Hook Head full field model before finalising forward plans for the accumulation,” the company said in a statement.

Appraisal drilling will start on Dunmore within the next 10 days.