Despite current low oil prices, the oil and gas industry in the Falkland Islands is continuing to go from strength to strength as its first project, Premier Oil’s Sea Lion, moves closer to commercialization, according to an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData.
Premier Oil provided on Wednesday a Trading and Operations Update ahead of its 2015 Full Year Results which will be announced on Thursday 25 February 2016, which included an upbeat on its Falkland Islands operations mainly at the Sea Lion field.
Rockhopper Exploration and Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd have confirmed a significant oil discovery at the Isobel/Elaine project to the north of the Falkland Islands. According to a release from the companies the new 14/20-2 well was a ‘re-drill’ of the prior Isobel Deep well which had to be abandoned prematurely due to operational issues despite encountering oil.
Falkland Islands oil & gas explorer Rockhopper Exploration is launching a £57.1mln takeover of rival Falkland Oil & Gas. Rockhopper and FOGL have agreed a recommended all-share merger resulting in Rockhopper holding 65% of the enlarged group and FOGL owning the rest.
The successful Falkland Islands' exploration company Premier Oil has cut full-year capital expenditure as the oil producer deferred some project development and exploration spending into 2016, it said on Thursday. Like its peers, Premier Oil has to reduce spending to cope with a halving in oil prices since a peak in June last year that has eaten into revenues.
Falkland Oil and Gas PLC on Friday announced it has agreed with Rockhopper Exploration PLC and Premier Oil PLC to drill another well on the Isobel/Elaine complex to replace the planned Jayne East well.
Falkland Oil & Gas Ltd told investors that drilling of the deep water Humpback exploration well in South Falkland basin has run into delays. They were described as ‘unforeseen equipment and operational issues’ and it has added just over a month to the schedule – to about 100 days from 65 planned days – so the well results are now expected during September.
Premier Oil has increased its 2015 exploration budget by $20 million to account for higher investments in its drilling campaign in the Falkland Islands, the company said this week in a trading update. The company also revealed it is considering further drilling at the Isobel Deep recent discovery instead of going on to Jayne East in North Falkland.
The Falkland Islands Government welcomed Thursday's announcement by Premier Oil and partners that the 14/20-1 ‘Isobel Deep’ exploration well has been declared an oil discovery. Isobel Deep in the North Falkland basin, is the second well of a six-well offshore campaign planned to take place in the Islands waters through 2015.
Premier Oil, currently involved in successful exploratory drilling in the Falkland Islands, produced less oil and gas in the first quarter of the year, but its output of 60,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) was above guidance, sending its shares higher on Wednesday.