Cairn Energy has outlined a nine-well exploration program for 2014, with a strong focus on the Atlantic margin.
Four of the five Atlantic margin wells will be operated by Cairn, including the JM-I exploration well, in the Juby Maritime III block, offshore Morocco, currently being drilled. The others will comprise two wells offshore Senegal and one well offshore western Ireland.
There will be one non-operated well on the Cap Boujdour Contract Area (Cairn 20% WI), operated by Kosmos Energy (55% WI), and the Moroccan National Oil Company (ONHYM, 25% WI)
Cairn is also planning a 500sq km 3D seismic survey on acreage adjacent to the Spanish Point discovery, where an area of about 1130sq km is the subject of an offer from the Irish Government to convert license option blocks to an exploration license (FEL 1/14). Cairn holds 38% WI and is operator).Elsewhere, plans to drill in the Pitu block offshore north west Greenland are still being matured, said Cairn.
In the North Sea and Norway, Cairn will be a partner in four non-operated wells:
UK North Sea: Tulla (operated by TAQA, Cairn 50% WI); Aragon (operated by MPX, Cairn 30% WI, and has an agreement to acquire a further 2.5% WI from MPX); West of Kraken (UKCS, EnQuest operator, Cairn 25% WI).
Norwegian North Sea: Atlas (adjacent to the Skarfjell acreage, RWE operator, Cairn 20% WI).
Second Skarfjell appraisal well has successfully delineated the field and the partners are now examining possible development concepts for Skarfjell for both oil and gas.