Shell spuds exploration well offshore Bulgaria

Oil major Shell has started drilling an exploration well in the Black Sea offshore Bulgaria. 

Following reports in late March 2019 that Shell was preparing to spud the Khan Kubrat-1 exploration well, in early April, Woodside, Shell’s partner in the Block 1-14, said on Thursday that the well had been spud in early April. Woodside has a 30% interest in the block.

Shell is targeting oil in the Black Sea Basin well where the water depth is 1200 meters. Total well depth is expected to be 3,327 meters.

Shell told Offshore Energy Today back in January that the exploration program would take approximately 3 to 4 months to complete.

The oil major is using the Noble Globetrotter II drillship for the operation. The same rig was used by Total in Bulgaria in 2016 when Total announced a play opening oil discovery in the Khan Asparuh license.

It is worth reminding that Shell hired Bourbon Marine & Logistics for the integrated logistics contract to support its exploration campaign in the Black Sea. The project scope covers the full logistics solution project management, offering for the first time both Marine logistics together with shore logistics: marine services, logistics base, warehousing, port facilities, cargo carrying units, waste management, and customs clearance.

In addition, Shell selected the HST Sofia fast crew supplier to support its offshore drilling program in Bulgaria, in what the shipbuilder Damen says was a “paradigm shift” for the oil major. The Damen FCS 2710 class vessel, owned by UK-based High Speed Transfers (HST), is usually used to service the offshore renewables industry.

The HST Sofia is being used for oil & gas crew transfers to support the Noble Globetrotter II drillship in the Khan Kubrat block. The drillship operates approximately 70 miles south-east of the Bulgarian port of Varna.

Offshore Energy Today Staff

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