Neptune Energy announced it has acquired a 38.75% equity interest from Spirit Energy in the Pegasus West discovery and surrounding acreage (P1724, P1727, P4257 and P2128) in the UK Southern North Sea.

Pegasus West was discovered in 2014 and is currently operated by Spirit Energy.

Entry by Neptune into the Pegasus West Area aligns interests in both the discovery and the Neptune-operated Cygnus gas facility (Neptune Energy 38.75% and operator, Spirit Energy 61.25%) enabling acceleration of the development of Pegasus West as a subsea tieback to the existing Cygnus field.

Neptune will work closely with Spirit Energy on front end engineering and design (FEED) studies in 2021 with the intention to reach a final investment decision by year end. Once sanctioned, Neptune would become operator of the development through to first gas and into production.

Neptune Energy’s Managing Director in the UK, Alexandra Thomas, said: “The alignment of interests with Spirit Energy in the Pegasus West development offers material benefits of faster development, lower costs and lower carbon intensities as well as optimisation of production operations through our existing world-class gas production asset, Cygnus.

“Cygnus is strategically important for domestic gas supply to the UK, and has one of the lowest carbon intensities on the UKCS, at less than 2kg per boe*. The development of Pegasus West will ensure further UK low carbon gas supply, while opening up opportunities for development of other potential gas resources in the Greater Cygnus Area.”

About Neptune Energy Group

Neptune Energy is an independent global E&P company with operations across the North Sea, North Africa and Asia Pacific. The business had production of 142,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020 and 2P reserves at 31st December 2020 of 601 million barrels of oil equivalent. The Company, founded by Sam Laidlaw, is backed by CIC and funds advised by Carlyle Group and CVC Capital Partners.

About Spirit Energy

Spirit Energy was created in 2017 following the combination of Centrica’s Exploration & Production business and Bayerngas Norge AS. The business is 69%-owned by Centrica plc, with the remaining 31% owned by Bayerngas Norge’s former shareholders, led by Stadtwerke München and Bayerngas GmbH.

The independent company was formed to combine a complementary mix of producing and development assets, and creates a robust, self-financing business to allow both organic and inorganic growth.