WATCHING THE WORLD OIL UNDER U.K.'S ROYAL SEAT

With David Knott from London The British press does not normally pay much attention to the upstream oil and gas industry. Total production figures and revenues get reported, so do oil spills and major projects. Beyond that, little coverage. Yet an Oil & Gas Journal article on the geology of the Weald Basin in Southeast England has caused a stir. The article said there was possibly a 100 million bbl oil field in a structure running beneath Windsor Castle (OGJ, Nov. 22, p. 85).

Dec. 13, 1993

3 min read

The British press does not normally pay much attention to the upstream oil and gas industry. Total production figures and revenues get reported, so do oil spills and major projects. Beyond that, little coverage.

Yet an Oil & Gas Journal article on the geology of the Weald Basin in Southeast England has caused a stir. The article said there was possibly a 100 million bbl oil field in a structure running beneath Windsor Castle (OGJ, Nov. 22, p. 85).

Windsor Castle is one of several homes of the British royal family, subject of many column inches every day in the serious press as well as the tabloids. London's Financial Times (FT) spotted the OGJ article and ran a story. After that, a number of journalists contacted our London office in search of details.

"Britain's Royal Family can sleep soundly again; the financial headache of how to pay for the restoration of the fire ravaged Windsor Castle could soon be over," FT enthused.

NOT SO BARMY

The idea that Her Majesty could be residing above one of Britain's biggest onshore oil fields was treated with skepticism, although oil industry sources say the idea is not as barmy as it sounds," FT reported. For American English speakers, let me explain that "barmy" is a British word for crazy.

In a very un-barmy way, most of Britain's 75,000 b/d of onshore oil production already comes from seven fields located in England's southeastern corner, mainly south of Windsor Castle.

Six of the fields are relatively small, producing 500-3,000 b/d. However, Wytch Farm oil field, alongside Poole Harbour on the south coast, averaged 66,600 b/d during the 12 months ended in October.

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

"Of course, the royals may not be amused at the thought of nodding donkeys taking their place alongside the Household Cavalry," FT said. "But times have changed...The possibility of a gusher under Windsor Castle should not be ignored just because it might keep the occupants awake at night."

Desmond Oswald of Canuk Exploration Ltd., Gerrard's Cross, U.K., explained in the OGJ article that any development would make use of horizontal drilling from "a location more suited to such activity".

In Wytch Farm oil field, operator BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. is currently drilling an extended reach well about 4.5 km into an offshore reservoir from an onshore drilling pad.

Using similar technology, development of reservoirs beneath Windsor Castle could be carried out discreetly. There may be several sites within 4.5 km of Windsor Castle where drilling would be welcomed. Like the royals, the local work force might also appreciate the income an oil field would generate.