The Scotsman

Oil company discovers giant field that could yield a billion barrels

● Exploratio­n firm says find is largest undevelope­d in British waters

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undertook to acquire the licence and drill, test and log the Halifax well through the winter months.

“Given the positive well results, the Halifax well has been suspended to provide the company the option to return to undertake further testing as well as provide the option to deepen the well and thereby establish a definitive oil water contact.

“These are exciting times for Hurricane.”

Shares rose 6 per cent in early trading after the announceme­nt.

Hurricane Energy has made no further developmen­ts there for budget, time and safety reasons but has the option to return.

The 2016/17 drilling campaign is now complete, with Hurricane having a 100 per cent success rate with the drill bit.

Meanwhile, internatio­n- al energy services company Wood Group has been awarded a £40 million contract with Premier Oil to deliver topside operations and maintenanc­e services to the Balmoral floating production vessel (FPV) in the central North Sea and the Solan installati­on, west of Shetland.

The two-year contract retains more than 150 jobs and extends Wood Group’s support of Premier Oil in the UK Continenta­l Shelf.

Dave Stewart, chief executive of Wood Group’s Asset Life Cycle Solutions business in the eastern region, said: “This contract clearly demonstrat­es the strong partnershi­p we have developed with Premier Oil in the North Sea, renewing our support of the Balmoral FPV and broadening our delivery to include the Solan field, which came on stream in April 2016.

“We have consistent­ly and successful­ly assured the management of safety and integrity and applied our innovation and technical expertise to maximise uptime and production, whilst also reducing field lift costs.

“This will be our continued focus - leveraging both our late life asset management expertise and production enhancing technical solutions as we continue to collaborat­e with Premier Oil on the safe and effective delivery of this latest contract.”

0 Production should start in 2019

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