IOG proceeding with appraisal drilling of Harvey in the North Sea

Offshore staff

LONDON – Independent Oil and Gas has committed to drill an appraisal well on the Harvey gas discovery in the UK southern North Sea, following the results of a competent person’s report on the Harvey license by ERC Equipoise (ERCE).

This confirms mid-case unrisked prospective gas resources for the Harvey structure of 114 bcf, a high case of 286 bcf, and a most likely 90 bcf on the Harvey structure licensed 100% by IOG.

The field is in between IOG’sBlythe and Vulcan Satellites hub developments. Assuming successful appraisal, the gas could be exported via the nearby recommissioned Thames Pipeline.

According to ERCE, Harvey is up-dip of a well drilled in 1984 on the west flank of the structure that may have encountered a 30-ft (9.1-m) gas column in the Leman sandstone.

Appraisal drilling is needed to clarify the up-dip potential, and IOG has committed to drill by late December 2019, subject to a license extension by the UK’s Oil & Gas Authority (OGA).

If the results are successful, IOG would approach the OGA to determine the Harvey license area to include the full structure, to be followed by a fasttrack development.

CEO Mark Routh said: “If we proved up the most likely gross resource number, Harvey would be the largest field in our gas portfolio and its economics would be significantly value accretive for IOG.”

11/09/2017