United Oil & Gas PLC expects to be awarded Blocks 15/18e and 15/19c in the North Sea following the UK’s 32nd Offshore Licensing Round on a 100% basis, the company said Sept. 3. The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) offered for award 113 license areas over 259 blocks or partial blocks to 65 companies in the round (OGJ Online, Sept. 3, 2020).
The blocks in the provisional award cover 225 sq km in an area close to the Marigold and Yeoman discoveries and the Piper, MacCulloch, and Claymore oil fields, United said.
The blocks include the Palaeocene Maria discovery, which United estimated as part of its license application to hold 6 MMboe midcase recoverable resources; two Jurassic discoveries, Brochel and 15/18a-6, the latter of which was drilled by Shell in 1987 and flowed at over 2,000 boe/d on test; and the Palaeocene Dunvegan prospect.
The blocks are adjacent to United's P2480 License, containing the Zeta prospect.
The minimal cost work program involves the purchase of an existing high-quality 3D seismic dataset and detailed geological and geophysical analysis. There are no drilling commitments. Subject to final award, United expects the work program to begin in early 2021.