Union Jack Oil unveils major onshore oil discovery at West Newton well

UK-focused onshore hydrocarbon operator Union Jack Oil has announced a major oil discovery at its West Newton appraisal well.

Located within PEDL183, the West Newton A-2 well was drilled as an appraisal of the West Newton A-1 discovery well.

Based on the results of West Newton A-1, the best estimate contingent resource of 189Bcfe of gas was identified in a competent persons report (CPR) compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte.

Union Jack Oil holds a 16.665% interest in the licence, which is operated by Rathlin Energy UK.

The operator and project partners now believe that the West Newton project represents a significant oil and gas discovery, instead of a pure gas discovery as originally thought.

The assessment of West Newton A-2 open hole data had found an estimated gross hydrocarbon column of nearly 65m in the Kirkham Abbey formation.

An initial evaluation identified a 45m gross oil column within the Kirkham Abbey interval.

The partners have temporarily suspended the extended well test with the indication of a potentially significant oil column in order to review and revise the well test design. The companies seek to deliver the required test information for validating the onshore resource.

Following the integration and evaluation of the core, petrophysical, seismic and test data, the operator and partners intended to commission a revised CPR to provide details on the oil in place, gas in place and recoverable volumes.

Bramhill said: “Given the positive value implications of a major onshore oil development, rather than predominantly gas as originally believed, we expect this will also lead to a meaningful uplift in the NPV10 calculations in the Revised CPR.

“We now believe that West Newton will become a significant oil development project for Union Jack, our joint venture partners and for the onshore UK hydrocarbon industry.”