Total hits gas off UK shore

France’s Total said it hit gas on the Glendronach prospect offshore the United Kingdom, West of Shetland.

The well was drilled to a final depth of 4,312 meters and encountered a gas column of 42 meters of net pay in a high quality Lower Cretaceous reservoir.

Preliminary tests confirm good reservoir quality, permeability and well production deliverability, with recoverable resources estimated at about one trillion cubic feet (1 tcf), Total said on Monday.

Located on Block 206/04a, in water depth of about 300 meters and in a formation below the Edradour reservoir, the discovery can be developed quickly with the existing infrastructure around the Edradour field and the Laggan-Tormore facilities of the Shetland gas plant.

The Glendronach discovery is operated by Total E&P UK with a 60 percent interest alongside partners Ineos E&P UK Limited (20 percent) and SSE E&P UK Limited (20 percent).

Total also operates the Culzean gas field (formerly Maersk Oil operated) with a 49.99 percent working interest, scheduled to start-up in 2019.