Wedoany.com Report-Nov 9, Omani operator Petrogas has announced its maiden offshore gas discovery in the UK North Sea following a recent drilling campaign.

Petrogas embarked on its drilling campaign in August, and said it encountered gas in the Baker well at UKCS block 47/3f-16.

Petrogas recently took on a 100% equity stake in the Baker well from Cornerstone Resources, after taking on a 70% stake in 2022.

The firm described the well results, which spudded on September 12, as “significantly better than expected, with improved reservoir characteristics”.

Offshore assets close to the Baker well include the Perenco-operated Minerva platform and the Spirit Energy-operated York platform.

The Noble Resilient drilling rig will now move to the Abbey gas field, where Petrogas has an 85% stake, in block 47/3i to drill another appraisal well.

The Petrogas drilling campaign comes as operators have significantly scaled back exploration drilling in the UK North Sea in recent years.

The Baker and Abbey campaign comes after Shell and Deltic Energy  at the Selene prospect in July.

Harbour Energy also recently spudded the Gilderoy well at licence 15/28b using the Paul B. Loyd Jnr semi-submersible rig on 15 September.