Hurricane Exploration has re-entered the Lancaster discovery well on Block 205/21a, West of Shetlands. The well is being drilled with the Borgsten Dolphin semisubmersible drilling rig, and AGR Petroleum Services are providing well construction and project management services. Hurricane's intention is to production test the oil-saturated fractured basement reservoir with the objective of establishing reservoir properties and demonstrating the potential for commercial flow.

The vertical depth of the basement reservoir is approximately 4,500 ft, and the existing Lancaster well bore will be sidetracked prior to re-entry into the underlying basement reservoir. Drilling and testing operations on Lancaster are expected to take up to 60 days.

The Lancaster exploration well was drilled in 2009 and this was the first time a basement reservoir had been planned and drilled as an exploration target in the UKCS. Highlights of the exploration well were: • Light oil was discovered (38º API) • Oil flowed to surface under its own energy • Target basement reservoir zones were fractured and permeable • Hydrocarbons were encountered below originally-mapped structural closure • Hurricane's geological model for basement reservoirs was validated

Following the current campaign on Lancaster, it is intended that the Borgsten Dolphin will move approximately 12km north to the Whirlwind basement prospect, where an exploration well will be drilled.

Hurricane has a 100% ownership of both Lancaster and Whirlwind.

Tags: Hurricane Exploration plc.