Neptune Energy and partners today announced drilling has commenced on the Hamlet exploration well in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

The well (35/9-16S) is being drilled by the Deepsea Yantai, a semi-submersible rig, owned by CIMC and operated by Odfjell Drilling. The Hamlet prospect is located 7 km north of the Gjøa field within the Neptune-operated PL153 Licence.

/B>Neptune Energy’s Director of Subsurface in Norway, Steinar Meland, said: “Hamlet is an interesting prospect and it is in keeping with our exploration strategy of focusing on opportunities within core areas near existing infrastructure. This can offer a short lead time from discovery to production, reduce costs and carbon emissions and help mature and replenish our current licenses."

In the event of a commercial discovery, the Hamlet prospect could be tied back to the Neptune-operated Gjøa platform and produced with less than half the average CO2 emissions on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.*

Located 58 kilometres west of Florø, Norway, at a water depth of 358 metres, Hamlet is positioned in one of Neptune’s core areas and close to existing infrastructure. The reservoir target is the Lower Cretaceous Agat Formation and is expected to be reached at a depth of approximately 2,600 metres.

The drilling program comprises a main-bore (35/9-16S) with an optional side-track (35/9-16A) based on the outcome of the exploration well.

Partners: Neptune Energy (operator and 30%), Petoro (30%), Wintershall Dea (28%), OKEA (12%).

*CO2 emissions from Gjøa are estimated at 3kg of CO2 per boe (EnvironmentHub (EEH); CO2 emissions and Diskos; Gross production incl. tie-ins, 2020), average on the Norwegian Continental Shelf is 8 kg CO2/barrel (NOROG Miljørapport 2020).

About Neptune Energy Norge AS

Neptune Energy Norge is a subsidiary of Neptune Energy. The company is the operator of the Gjøa field in the North Sea. It recently opened up two new subsea fields, Duva and Gjøa P1, tied back to the Gjøa platform. Neptune is the operator of the development project Fenja in the Norwegian Sea. In 2020, the company made the Dugong discovery and is a partner in several producing fields: Bauge (under development), Brage, Draugen, Fram, Gudrun, Hyme, Ivar Aasen, Njord and Snøhvit. Neptune Energy Norge is a participant in a total of 81 licences. For the full year 2020, Neptune produced 55 kboepd in Norway.

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.