Drilling Activity

(A) Offshore exploration drilling (1) : exploration wells started in each geographical area
 

1994

  

1995 (4)

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Q1&Q2
2004
East of England

21(1)

 Southern N Sea

12(2)

12

16

12

3

3

7(1)

5(2)

8(1)

2
East of Scotland

20(1)

 Central N Sea (5)

24(5)

31(1)

24(2)

17(2)

10(1)

11(2)

8

7

13(1)

10
East of Shetland

5

 Northern N Sea

4

13(2)

13

10(2)

1(1)

6(1)

5(1)

1

2

1
West of England/ Wales

8

 West of England/ Wales

5

8

2

2

-

-

-

-

1

-
West of Shetland (3)

8(1)

 West of Shetland

14

7

6

6

2

6

3

3

2

1
Channel/ SW Approaches

-

 Channel/ SW Approaches

1

1

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-
Total all areas (2)

62(3)

  

60(7)

72(3)

61(2)

47(4)

16(2)

26(3)

24(2)

16(2)

26(2)

14

(B) Offshore appraisal drilling(1): appraisal wells started in each geographical area

 

1994

  

1995 (4)

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Q1&Q2
2004
East of England

12(4)

 Southern N Sea

12(5)

4

9(4)

2(1)

5(2)

3

2(2)

4

3

-
East of Scotland

11(2)

 Central N Sea (5)

16(6)

16(2)

9(1)

14(6)

11

11(1)

22(9)

16(7)

13(6)

8(3)
East of Shetland

5(3)

 Northern N Sea

1(1)

14(2)

14(6)

17(10)

4(1)

16(9)

11(7)

6(3)

-

3
West of England/ Wales

1

 West of England/
Wales

-

2(1)

-

-

-

 -

-

1

-

-
West of Shetland (3)

8(1)

 West of Shetland

9

4(2)

3(1)

-

-

2(1)

1

1

3(3)

2(1)
Channel/ SW Approaches

-

 Channel/ SW Approaches

-

-

-

-

-

 -

-

-

-

-
Total all areas (2)

37(10)

  

38(12)

40(7)

35(12)

33(17)

20(3)

33(11)

36(18)

28(10)

19(9)

13(4)

(C) Offshore development drilling(1):development wells started in each geographical area

 

1994

  

1995 (4)

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Q1&Q2
2004
East of England

39(11)

 Southern N Sea

39(8)

13(5)

20(6)

30(12)

35(17)

29(12)

13(6)

31(15)

34(21)

6(4)
East of Scotland

88(19)

 Central N Sea (5)

110(18)

104(25)

100(36)

105(30)

92(44)

66(24)

119(46)

95(53)

77(37)

48(20)
East of Shetland

67(17)

 Northern N Sea

78(14)

117(34)

129(33)

120(43)

82(25)

103(36)

122(41)

108(48)

73(15)

28(6)
West of England/ Wales

7(1)

 West of England/ Wales

13(2)

14(2)

1(1)

3(1)

8(3)

 8(3)

16(10)

10(3)

9(3)

1
West of Shetland (3)

1

 West of Shetland

4

13(2)

7(2)

18(1)

13(3)

10(7)

12(3)

5(3)

11(3)

2(1)
Total all areas (2)

202(48)

  

244(42)

261(68)

257(78)

276(87)

230(92)

216(81)

282(106)

249(122)

204(79)

85(31)

(D) Onshore drilling: numbers of wells drilled

 

1994

  

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Q1&Q2
2004
Exploration

3

 Exploration

2

6

12(2)

5

6

8

5

14(1)

3(1)

1
Appraisal

-

 Appraisal

-

1

2(2)

9(4)

2(1)

6

1

-

1

-
Development

13

 Development

19

28

26(9)

21(13)

11(5)

11(6)

20(17)

18(13)

17(11)

8
Total (2)

16

  

21

35

40(13)

35(17)

19(6)

25(6)

26(17)

32(14)

21(12)

9

Notes:

(1) Sidetracked wells are shown in brackets. Sidetrack wells are only counted where the intent was to acquire new geological data
(sidetracks drilled due to mechanical problems with the original well are not counted).
(2) The first figure is the total number of wells including the number of geological sidetracks. The actual number
of geological sidetracks included in the total is the second figure shown in brackets.
(3) 'West of Shetland' includes 'West of Scotland' and the Rockall basin.
(4) The figures for offshore activity are no longer collated by geographical area as has been done in past years. The tables and diagrams
from 1995 reflect the geological approach to grouping wells broadly by sedimentary basin area. The major areas of change are the outer
Moray Firth which is now partly included in the Northern North Sea rather than 'East of Scotland', and the Central North Sea which was previously
split between 'East of Scotland' and 'East of England': the figures for these areas are thus not directly comparable with previous years.
DTI database definitions of the Geological Basins are currently based on Quadrant/Block criteria.
(5) Central North Sea includes inner, most of the outer Moray Firth areas and part of the Mid North Sea High.
NB The year in which a well is drilled is determined by its start date.

This data was last updated on : July 2004 and is due to be updated on : October 2004

If any errors are found or if you have any comments or other queries please contact:


Jen Brzozowska
email: jen.brzozowska@dti.gsi.gov.uk
phone: +44 (0) 20 7215 5138
fax: +44 (0) 20 7215 5070

To download this table click the appropriate format: Excel 4 or CSV file.

Back | Title | Table of Contents
Appendix 1 | Appendix 2 | Appendix 3 | Appendix 4 | Appendix 5 | Appendix 6 | Appendix 7 | Appendix 8 | Appendix 9
Appendix 10 | Appendix 11 | Appendix 12 | Appendix 13 | Appendix 14 | Appendix 15 | Appendix 16 | Appendix 17
Index Map | Plate 1 | Plate 2W | Plate 2E | Plate 3W | Plate 3E | Plate 4W | Plate 4E | Plate 5 | Plate 6
Plate 7 | Plate 8W | Plate 8E | Plate 9W | Plate 9E | Plate 10W | Plate 10E | Plate 11 | Plate 12 | Legend