History
Oil Exploration
1970s - A range of mostly academic studies were undertaken, culminating in drilling of the three DPSP boreholes on the Maurice Ewing Bank, proving the existence of potential oil source rocks in the area.
1996 - Seven Production Licences were awarded (to 14 companies) in the North Falkland Basin as a result of a competitive bidding round. The licences covered 48 blocks (some 12,800 square kilometres).
1998 - Six wells were drilled in the North Falkland Basin in 1998. All six wells were drilled back to back using the Borgny Dolphin semi-sub exploration rig.
1999 onwards – several phases of relinquishment and operator changes to original licence areas in North Falkland Basin following the 1998 oil price crash.
2000 – FIG initiated a series of “Open Door” licence awards to facilitate further exploration.
2001 – Ten Production Licences awarded covering 232 blocks over the southern area to the Falklands Hydrocarbon Consortium (Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd and Hardman Resources), with Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd (FOGL) as operator.
2003 – Two licences and 37 blocks (90 blocks in total), relinquished by the Falklands Hydrocarbon Consortium (Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd and Hardman Resources) in the southern area as per licence conditions.
2004 – Five licences awarded covering 80 blocks over the southern area to Borders and Southern Petroleum Ltd. Two licences covering 16 blocks in the southernmost part of the North Falkland Basin awarded to Rockhopper Exploration. A new 3D survey was completed in the North Falkland Basin by Desire. A further seven licences, covering 195 blocks over 7 Quadrants in the Falkland Plateau Basin were awarded to Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd in December 2004. Unlike the other acreage held in the southern basins by FOGL, Hardman Resources do not partner them in these new licences.
2005 - two new licences covering 6 blocks in the northern part of the North Falkland Basin awarded to Rockhopper Exploration. These 6 blocks were previously licensed to Shell and Agip. FOGL/Hardman relinquished a further 18 blocks as per their licence agreement. Open door licensing suspended at this time.
2006 - FOGL relinquished 50% of their licence holding in their 2002 licences held in conjuction with Hardman Resources. This relinquishment was required by the Falkland Islands Government in exchange for changes to the agreed work programme. A new CSEM survey was acquired by Rockhopper over parts of the North Falkland Basin.
2007 – A new 3D survey was completed in the North Falkland Basin by Rockhopper. A new CSEM survey was acquired by FOGL in the Falkland Plateau Basin. FOGL were required by Government to relinquish PL030, followed by, in December 2007, 25% of the remainder of their 2004 licences. BHP Billiton farmed into all the FOGL acreage.
2008 – A new 3D survey was completed in the South Falkland Basin by Borders and Southern Petroleum. A new licence covering 2.25 blocks in the southern part of the North Falkland Basin awarded to Desire Petroleum in association with Arcadia Petroleum.
2009 – Rockhopper reclassified the 14/05-1A Shell well as a gas discovery on the basis of their re-analysis of the gas shows recorded in the lower part of the well, in a feature they term Johnson.
2011 – a new set of 3D surveys were completed over large parts of the North Falkland Basin by Argos, Desire and Rockhopper.
2012 – Edison and Nobel farmed into the FOGL acreage in the Falkland Platea Basin. Premier farmed into the Rockhopper acreage in the North Falkland Basin and assumed operatorship of the acreage.
2013 - The Government proactively extended Phase 1 terms of "Open Door" licences, principally to accommodate drilling in Phase 1. Phase 2 was also extended in order to facilitate longer-term planning. Noble assumed operatorship of FOGL’s northern set of licences in the Falkland Plateau Basin.