Noble rig reaches endpoint at North Sea drilling campaign crowned with ‘great discovery’

Petrogas North Sea, a subsidiary of Oman-based Petrogas E&P, has crossed the finish line at its drilling program in the UK sector of the North Sea, which led to a gas discovery drilled by a 16-year-old jack-up rig owned by Noble Corporation, a U.S.-based offshore drilling giant.

While confirming the end of the UK drilling campaign, Petrogas E&P highlighted that two wells were drilled successfully and safely on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) using Noble Corporation’s Noble Resilient jack-up rig.

The rig kicked off the drilling assignment with the well 47/3f-16 on September 12, 2024, an exploration well targeting the Baker Rotliegends gas prospect, which encountered a significant gas column in a high-quality reservoir and was subsequently plugged and abandoned.

The jack-up then moved to the Abbey appraisal well, 47/3i-16(z), spudded on November 13, 2024, and completed on March 16, 2025. A pilot hole was drilled to the planned total depth in the Lower Leman Sandstone, then the sidetrack was drilled with a 1,184-meter horizontal section in the Lower Leman Sandstone.

Commenting on the end of the drilling program, Nick Dancer, COO of Petrogas E&P, underlined: “Petrogas E&P delivers again. Whilst the UK North Sea is quieter these days, I’m pleased that we’ve finished our two well campaign, resulting in a great discovery (Baker) and our first long horizontal multi-frac well on the Abbey field, which was successfully tested. Thank you to the Petrogas team and our contractors for delivering the wells safely.”

Following five massive fracs, Petrogas emphasizes that multiple well tests were performed, achieving gas rates well above base case estimates. Currently, the firm is analyzing the well test results to optimize the development concept for these two fields. Petrogas got its hands on a 70% stake in Baker and 85% in Abbey from Cornerstone Resources under a farm-out deal in 2022, becoming a 100% owner of both in the meantime.

The company booked the 2009-built Noble Resilient jack-up rig in November 2023 for a 120-day assignment in the UK North Sea. The two-well contract entailed four one-well extension options. With a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 feet (9.14 kilometers), the Gusto MSC CJ50 X100 MC design jack-up can operate in water depths of up to 350 feet (around 107 meters). 

Another Noble rig, Noble Resolute, is working for the firm’s subsidiary in the Netherlands. The deal is slated to be over in May 2025 unless a 40-day priced option is exercised. Petrogas disclosed a gas extraction achievement in the North Sea made with this rig in March 2025.

Noble has won many assignments lately, including the one with Shell off the coast of Brunei in Southeast Asia.