Shell has started a 3D seismic survey over the Pensacola prospect in the Southern North Sea, Cluff Natural Resources said on Monday.
The survey is being conducted by Shearwater GeoServices using the Polar Empress and field operations are expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.
The vessel arrived on site on Friday 2 August 2019 with data acquisition starting today.
This seismic acquisition will be followed by a period of data processing, with final results expected to be received in early Q3 2020.
Cluff holds a 30% non-operated interest in Licence P2252, including the Pensacola prospect, which is estimated to contain gross P50 prospective resources of 309 BCF in an untested Zechstein Reef.
Cluff’s chief executive, Graham Swindells , said: “Our participation in this seismic survey represents the first field operations for Cluff and is clearly an important milestone in the development of the company as it pursues its ambition to become one of the leading exploration companies operating in the UKCS. The Pensacola prospect is an exciting opportunity, worked up by the Cluff team, and the acquisition of high quality modern 3D seismic over the prospect is a key step in de-risking future exploration drilling activities.”