Just two onshore oil and gas wells were drilled in 2023 – and one of them has already been abandoned. This is despite government policy to “max out” domestic resources.
Official data from the industry regulator showed that both wells were spudded (began being drilled) at one onshore site in Dorset from 1 January-31 December 2023.
In the same period, 51 wells were drilled offshore in the UK, the database confirms.
According to the data, 2023 is the ninth consecutive year of single-figure well drilling onshore in the UK.
The number of onshore wells drilled in 2023 was the second lowest in the past 23 years. It was lower than in 2022 (three), but higher than 2021 (no wells drilled) and equal to 2020.
The data shows that since 1918, only two years have seen a lower number of onshore wells drilled in a year than in 2023 (2021 and 1924).
According to the records, the largest number of onshore wells drilled in a year – 162 – was in 1943. 70 or more wells were drilled in a calendar year in just 1939, 1985 and 1986.
Details
Source: North Sea Transition Authority
The North Sea Transition Authority public wellbore search records just two sidetrack wells drilled in 2023 at Perenco’s Wytch Farm oil field, the UK’s largest onshore producer.
The wells, in licence area PL89, were spudded on 25 September 2023 (L98/06-M19Y) and 1 November 2023 (L98/06-M19X).
Both were drilled to a depth of 2,770m on the field’s M wellsite.
The mechanical status of well L98/06-M19Y is recorded as “abandoned phase 1”. The industry defines this as:
“The reservoir has been permanently isolated. This requires that permanent barrier material is placed to fully isolate all reservoir producing or injecting zones from the wellbore. The tubing may be left in place, partly or fully retrieved.”
- DrillOrDrop will continue to report on onshore drilling in the UK during 2024. Our article, What to watch in 2024, summarises some of the developments expected in the next 12 months. You can also catch up on the news from 2023 with our review of the past year.
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