Centrica’s Butch discovery lies in a well-developed sector of the Norwegian continental shelf, north of Ekofisk and east of the Ula field. It is an area known to contain pockets of pressurised gas just below the seabed, which can present a blowout risk if encountered while drilling.
Traditional seismic interpretation cannot rule out the presence of shallow gas. Before exploration or production drilling can proceed, operators must ensure that an area is safe by first drilling a small-diameter pilot hole, which can be quickly brought under control and killed if necessary.
