Offshore exploration and appraisal drilling in UK waters in the first 6 months of 2008 kept pace with 2007’s level, said the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
First half land drilling was ahead of the full-year 2007 pace, while offshore development drilling was lagging.
Operators spudded 30 offshore exploration wells in the first half, compared with 34 in all of 2007. The 2008 figure includes 17 in the Central North Sea, 9 in the Northern North Sea, 2 in the Southern North Sea, and 2 West of Shetland. The 2008 total was 34 exploration wells.
They spudded 14 appraisal wells in the Central North Sea, 11 in the Northern North Sea, 5 in the Southern North Sea, and 1 West of Shetland in the first half. That compared with 77 appraisal wells in 2008.
Offshore development drilling totalled 69 wells in the first half, 43 of them in the Central North Sea, compared with 163 in all of 2007.
First half onshore drilling was 13 development, 1 exploration, and 3 appraisal wells, compared with 14 development, 1 appraisal, and 14 exploration wells in all of 2007.
Central North Sea includes inner and most of the outer Moray Firth and part of the Mid North Sea High. West of Shetland includes west of Scotland and the Rockall basin.