Blocks 48/1b, 48/1d & 48/2c Location Map

Blocks 48/1b and 48/2c were awarded in the 22nd Licensing Round as a promote licence and subsequently converted to a traditional licence.  EnCore has a 25 per cent. equity interest and is operator.

The blocks contain the 48/2-1 gas discovery (now known as 'Cobra') which was drilled in 1984 and tested 2.7 million cubic feet per day from the Rotliegend sandstone.

In December 2007, EnCore announced that the ENSCO 80 drilling rig had been contracted for the appraisal drilling of Cobra in the first quarter of 2008.   The well was managed by Applied Drilling Technology International (ADTI).  Under the terms of farm-out agreements with Bharat Petroleum, Challenger Minerals and Tata Petrodyne, EnCore paid 3 per cent. of the appraisal well cost (subject to an overall well cost cap).

In March 2008, drilling operations commenced.  The main objective of the 48/2c-5 well was to establish whether the reservoir is capable of flowing at commercial rates.  The well was drilled up dip froom the 48/2-1 well, drilled in 1984, which flowed at 2.7 million cubic feet per day from a Rotliegendes Sandstone reservoir.  It is interpreted that the reservoir was damaged during the drilling of the 48/2-1 well and that the reservoir performance could be improved by the use of modern drilling and completion techniques.

The well reached target depth of 11,805ft measured depth in May 2008 and wireline logging was completed.  During the testing programme, the well tested at a maximum unstimulated dry gas rate of 1.1 million standard cubic feet per day with a flowing tubing head pressure of 230 pounds per square inch through a 32/64 inch choke.  The gas was produced from the Rotliegendes Sandstone through four and a half inch sand screens across the entire interval from 11,189 feet and 11,683 feet measured depth below rotary table.

Well 48/2c-5 established a total gas column in the Cobra structure of at least 350 feet true vertical thickness.  The results of the well support the likelihood that there is a significant volume of gas in place within the structure.  However, the unstimulated rate is not commercial, so the well was suspended pending further evaluation of the most effective well stimulation technique.

19 May 2008 - EnCore Announces Results of Testing on Cobra Gas Discovery

12 May 2008 - Cobra Appraisal Well Update

25 March 2008 - Commencement of Drilling Operations on Cobra Gas Appraisal Well

17 December 2007 - Rig Confirmation & Farm-out to Challenger Minerals on UK North Sea Blocks 48/1b & 48/2c

13 March 2007 - EnCore Farms Out Interest in Blocks 48/1b & 48/2c to New UKCS Entrants

13 February 2007 - Commencement of Drilling Operations & Drilling Programme Update

17 January 2007 - EnCore Oil Completes the Acquisition of Four UK Companies

25 October 2006 - EnCore Oil to Acquire Additional Portfolio of UK Offshore Blocks through the Acquisition of Four Companies