Drilling & Completion

Offshore Isle of Man well could spud later this year

Jan. 20, 2023

Crogga has appointed THREE60 Energy to drill the Crogga Independence appraisal well (112/25a-2) on the Crogga gas field in the East Irish Sea.

The first well to be drilled under Isle of Man jurisdiction is a milestone for the island.

Offshore staff

DOUGLAS, UK — Crogga Ltd. has appointed THREE60 Energy, formerly Fraser Well Management, to drill the Crogga Independence appraisal well (112/25a-2) on the Crogga gas field in the East Irish Sea, offshore the Isle of Man.

Crogga Ltd. expects drilling to start as soon as the permitting process has completed. Management’s aim is to establish commercial flow rates from the conventional Permian Collyhurst sandstone reservoir.

If successful, 3D seismic and further drilling would follow and could lead to one of the largest field developments in the East Irish Sea, comparable to Douglas and Hamilton in BHP’s Liverpool Bay development to the south, (661 Bcf / 110 MMboe).

The gas could provide energy independence and a significant revenue boost to the Isle of Man.

The red dot represents bp's 1982 well, and the white dot is Crogga's 2023 well location. A, B, C and D are structural closures. The total area is 83 sq km. The 1996 bp estimate is 1 Tcf of gas in place.

In 1982 bp discovered the field with UK well 112/25a-1. It was later transferred to Manx (Isle of Man) jurisdiction and then relinquished in 2001, before being awarded to Crogga Ltd. in 2018 by the Isle of Man government.

The work program, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, includes a commitment to drill two appraisal wells.

The upcoming well, which should take three months to complete, will be designed to determine the full size of the gas column and to measure the flow rate. If commercial, production could start in 2026.

Crogga Ltd. plans a subsea completion.

01.20.2023