Abstract: The Porcupine Basin: Ireland's Missed Oil Province?

CHESSELL, JERRY; CHRIS THOMAS, MARTIN NORVACK and LORRAINE MITCHELMORE

The Porcupine Basin lies 90 kms offshore from the west coast of Ireland, in present day water depths of 300 to 2,000 meters. A typical Northwest European Atlantic Margin Basin, The Porcupine has a north-south orientation, opens southwards into the oceanic Porcupine Seabight and has a classic steers head (east-west) profile.

22 exploration wells were drilled. between 1977 and 1988 of which 3 tested significant quantities of oil (success ratio 7:1), A productive hydrocarbon system sourced from the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation is proven, although only a single economic/marginal field (Connemara, 200 MMBL STOIIP) is currently being considered for development.

21 of the wells drilled to date were targeted at Jurassic/ Cretaceous or older objectives, and reservoir quality and continuity has not been optimal. Advances in deepwater drilling and production technology, seismic sequence stratigraphy and successful experience of analogous petroleum systems, including Paleocene reservoirs, in the West of Shetland and North Sea areas has now led to a reappraisal of the area by the industry. Paleocene/Eocene submarine fan sands within a variety of structural and stratigraphic closures are recognized in the South of the Basin. This historically unrecognized play will be tested by drilling during 1997 and 1998.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90942©1997 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria