UK: EnCore Oil Signs Jack-up Rig Contract for Catcher Area Drilling

EnCore Oil plc  announced that a rig contract has been signed to enable further drilling to take place in UKCS Central North Sea Block 28/9, where the Catcher discovery was made in June this year.

The Transocean Galaxy II heavy duty jack-up rig is expected to return to the Catcher area later this week to drill up to four exploration and appraisal wells. The first well in the programme is on the Varadero exploration prospect situated to the west of the Catcher discovery.

Commenting on the rig contract, Alan Booth, EnCore’s Chief Executive Officer said:

“We are delighted that the rig contract has been signed and we have a firm timeframe for further drilling in the Catcher area. The team has done a significant amount of work to enable further exploration and appraisal of the block in such a short timeframe. We remain excited about the upside potential of the Catcher area which we hope will be better understood in the coming weeks and months.”

The equity in the Catcher / Block 28/9 joint venture partnership is as follows: EnCore Oil plc (15 per cent., Operator), Premier Oil (35 per cent.), Wintershall (UK North Sea) Limited (20 per cent.), Nautical Petroleum (15 per cent.) and Agora Oil & Gas (15 per cent.).

EnCore Oil plc  is an oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company quoted on AIM.

EnCore has a balanced portfolio of offshore assets, based mainly in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) and a significant equity holding in AIM listed Egdon Resources plc .

EnCore has an experienced and proven management team, a number of whom were responsible for the discovery of the Buzzard field in the UK North Sea, which currently produces over 10 per cent. of the UK’s total oil production.

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Source: EnCoreOil, September 27, 2010