Operations in Ireland

Rockall Trough

Blocks 5/17, 5/18, 5/22, 5/23, 5/27 & 5/28 – Rockall Trough

Serica 100% (operator)

These six blocks (collectively licence FEL 1/09) were awarded to Serica during the Irish Rockall Licensing Round in July 2009. The license covers a total area of 993 square kilometres and lies in the north-eastern part of the offshore Rockall Basin, a deepwater basin west of Ireland. The Rockall Basin has an areal extent of over 100,000 square kilometres in which only three exploration wells have been drilled to date; the area is notably underexplored.

FEL 1/09 contains a significant fault block prospect (Muckish) covering an area of 31 square kilometres in a water depth of 1,450 metres, with potential for reserves in excess of 650 billion cubic feet of gas equivalent. Given the frontier nature of the area, it is also possible that the structure could contain oil. Serica will acquire several 2D long-offset seismic lines across the Muckish structure in order to further evaluate its hydrocarbon potential.

Muckish is analogous to the nearby gas-condensate bearing Dooish structure drilled by Enterprise in 2002, which encountered a 214 metre hydrocarbon column. A further prospect, Muckish East, has also been identified in the licence area.

The initial phase of the work programme includes the reprocessing of 300 square kilometres of 3D seismic data and the acquisition of 400 kilometres of 2D long offset seismic lines. A well commitment would be required to enter the second four year term.