The Lancaster Field: progress in opening the UK's fractured basement play

To date, fractured crystalline basement reservoirs (basement) on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) have largely been underexplored, despite the fact that numerous indications of hydrocarbons have been reported from basement in wells dating back to the 1970s. As production from the UKCS continues to decline, and with the exploration potential of more traditional plays becoming increasingly mature, the potential of the overlooked and underrated basement play warrants further exploration. Over the last 10 years, Hurricane Energy (Hurricane) have deliberately set out to explore the potential of this untapped resource, focusing on the Rona Ridge trend, West of Shetland. The Lancaster Field has been penetrated by four wells and benefits from a full 3D seismic survey, and, as such, represents Hurricane9s most de-risked basement asset. The level of understanding of the Lancaster reservoir is such that Hurricane is now working towards a phased field development. This paper provides a summary of the geology and reservoir characteristics of the Lancaster Discovery, and a description of the technical progress achieved, to date, in de-risking the Lancaster Field.