Directional wells under way on Athena, Jacky

Offshore staff

CALGARY, Alberta -- The semisubmersible Sedco 704 has started drilling the final production well for Ithaca Energy’s Athena field in the UK central North Sea.

Well 14/18b-A2 is being drilled directionally from the Athena drill center to access oil in the field’s northwestern portion. It will also intersect the top reservoir (Top Scapa A sands) at a point within the appraised Athena oil pool and continue north, drilling at a high angle to provide data on another area targeted for future development.

This program should last around 80 days.

In the UK Outer Moray Firth, the jackup Energy Enhancer has spudded a second production well on Ithaca’s Jacky field.

Well 12/21c-J03 is being drilled to access additional reserves and increase production. The rig has been positioned over the Jacky platform to drill from a spare wellbay, facilitating early tie-in to the existing production stream.

The well is being drilled directionally to a northern section of the field within the same structure and geological unit (Beatrice 'A' sand) as the existing wells. This program should last 72 days.

03/14/2011