I3 Energy announced on 8 November 2019 that is had spudded a pilot well, 13/23c-11 (13/23c-A3-L2), targeting the Captain sands at its re-mapped L2 accumulation in licence P2358 on its Liberator field. The well is located to the north east of well 13/23c-9 which was the unsuccessful first pilot well drilled by i3 Energy in their 3 well programme in 2019. Following the re-mapping of the Captain sands on recently re-processed 3D data it was thought that the location of the well provided significant relief above the OWC and a good location for the future development well. On 25 November 2019 the company announced that the well has reached TD in the Valhall shale as planned and on 28 November 2019 the company announced the well was being plugged and abandoned. The well drilled through over 200 ft (67 m) of the Captain Sand reservoir, and there was a confirmed oil presence in 15 ft (4.6 m) TVD of Captain sand. The oil-water contact was found at 5,270 ft (1,606 m) TVD and pressure data indicated that there is hydrostatic pressure communication with Serenity. The oil column encountered was thinner than anticipated, and subsequently the company announced that the Liberator Phase I development would be simplified to consist of a single-well development tied-back to pre-existing infrastructure.   Liberator is an oil discovery located immediately west of the Blake field. It was discovered in 2013 and has a Lower Cretaceous Captain Sand reservoir, similar to Blake. The discovery well proved 1.5 to 2.5 Darcy reservoir with a 28% porosity containing 30.3 degrees API oil with a 1.9 cP viscosity and an established water contact that mapped a potential oil column ranging from 7 m to 24 m within an elongated four way structure at approximately 1,600 m. The discovery is located in licence P1987, covering an area of 14.5 sq km and was awarded in the 27th Offshore Licensing Round and consists of just the one block (13/23d). The licence is located immediately west of the Blake field.   Interest in licence P2358 is held solely by I3 Energy Ltd.
I3 Energy Ltd P2358 - 13/23c-11 - appraisal / development Pilot hole at L2 (Liberator) - Oil encountered, plugging and abandoning