By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 3 -- Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd. has reported discovery of 20-50 million bbl of oil in place in the inner Moray Firth on Block 13/23b in the UK North Sea.
The 13/23b-5 well encountered oil-bearing Lower Cretaceous sandstones. The 13/23b-5z sidetrack, drilled southwest from the discovery well, encountered thicker oil-bearing sands and flowed on test at a rate of 6,700 b/d of 35° gravity oil.
A second sidetrack, 13/23b-y, was drilled to the west and proved the extent of the thicker sand sequence over the structure. The discovery will be evaluated further with reprocessed 3D seismic data to confirm commerciality.
The discovery is 15 km northeast of Ross oil field, which Talisman operates with a 69% working interest, and 10 km northwest of Blake oil field, in which Talisman holds a 54% interest.
