Wells Insight Report

This fourth Wells Insight Report, published in October 2023 by the North Sea Transition Authority, highlights significant opportunities which must be grasped in the UK Continental Shelf despite a continued low level of well activity in 2022.

The report’s findings are based on an analysis of data from the 2022 UK Stewardship Survey, providing real insight into well activity in the basin.

The report includes trends and performance benchmarks in three distinct well categories: exploration and appraisal (E&A), new development wellbores, and existing well stock activities.

The interactive, searchable publication reveals that a disappointing total of 48 development wells were drilled and 12 exploration and appraisal wells completed in 2022.  Nonetheless currently operators suggest that activity may pick-up, they forecast, with high and moderate confidence, that 77 E&A wells which will be drilled between 2023-25.

Click on this link for access to the Well Insight Report interactive version.

Key findings

• 334mm boe of potential resources discovered in past three years
• NSTA wants to see speedy upturn in-fill and new well drilling
• Well intervention rates must rise to boost production
• NSTA wants to see operators meet promised project plans

Previous years' reports

Interactive reports

Wells Insights Report 2022

Wells Insights Report 2021