Shell moving onto second exploration well off Nova Scotia
Shell Canada’s search for oil and gas was not successful at the first of two exploration sites in the Shelburne Basin.
“After careful evaluation, Shell can confirm that commercial quantities of hydrocarbon were not found at the location of the Cheshire L-97A deep-water exploration well,” said Shell Canada’s external relations advisor, Gareth Stuart.
“Drilling at Cheshire, the first well of our two well offshore exploration program, was completed last week.”
The Chesire well has been permanently sealed.
“Permanently sealing a well entails installing and testing multiple barriers in the wellbore,” said Stuart. “These multiple barriers consist of cement plugs placed in the well bore to seal the well, as is the usual practice for exploration deepwater wells.”
The Shelburne Basin Exploration project is a deep-water drilling program approximately 250 kilometres offshore and about 1500 to 3500 metres deep.
They began drilling the first well of a two-well campaign in October 2015.
The Cheshire was the first exploration well drilled in a decade.
Shell acquired six licences and will be moving onto the second exploration well, the Monterey Jack.
The Monterey Jack, is an independent drilling prospect located about 120 kilometres southwest of the Cheshire location.
Shell secured an Operations Authorization from the CanadaNova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) to drill both wells in October 2015, and has the necessary regulatory approvals to begin drilling operations at Monterey Jack. Shell plans to spud the Monterey Jack exploration well by the end of September, said Stuart.