Isle of Man Petroleum Geology. Prospectivity and Future Opportunities

Stavros Arsenikos1, Dave Roberts2, Darren Jones1, Ken Milne2, Ian Andrews1

1 British Geological Survey, UK 2 Department of Economic Development, Isle of Man

• British crown dependency

• Territorial Seas up to the 12 mile limit

(approx. 2.5k square miles of sea bed)

• Ownership of all minerals and

hydrocarbons located within Manx

territory is vested in the Isle of Man

Government

Overview of the Isle of Man

Overview of the Isle of Man

Our Aims :

Provide fiscal framework which recognises

the issues faced by the explorers and

anticipate arrangements which are fair to

both the extractor and the owner

Rejuvenate and promote exploration of

hydrocarbons in Island waters

Regional Setting

Available Dataset

• More than 400 2D

seismic profiles

cutting across Isle of

Man territorial seas

Available Dataset

• More than 400 2D

seismic profiles

cutting across Isle of

Man territorial seas

• Publicly available

reprocessed seismic

profiles as part of the

OGA Government

Survey initiative.

Available Dataset

• More than 400 2D

seismic profiles

cutting across Isle of

Man territorial seas

• Publicly available

reprocessed seismic

profiles as part of the

OGA Government

Survey initiative.

• 3 Wells in Isle of Man

Territorial Seas, more

than 200 in proximity,

in the East Irish Sea

Basin.

Regional Structures • Caledonian trends

• Devono-

Carboniferous

extension

• Variscan reactivation

• Triassic Extension

• Jurassic

(Cimmerian)Uplfit

• Jurassic Rift

• Tertiary uplift and

erosion

Inherited structural grain trending NE-SW and NW/SE

Petroleum System

Reservoir – Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone

Reservoir - Permian Collyhurst Sandstone

Seal – Permian St Bees Evaporites

Seal – Triassic Mercia Mudstone Group

Source rock – Namurian basinal shales

Petroleum System

Reservoir

• Triassic Sherwood

Sandstone Group

in places too shallow,

water-bearing

• Permian Collyhurst

Sandstone

variable reservoir

properties

Petroleum System

Seal

• Triassic Mercia

Mudstone – regional

seal

• Permian St Bees

Evaporite

?

Petroleum System

Source Rock

• Namurian Basinal

Facies

Initial geometry and

distribution

After Floodpage et al. 2001

Well Correlation

1

2

3 2

3

1

Prospect analysis in the Lagman Basin

The biggest challenge BP faced back in 1995 :

low permeability values

Prospect analysis in the Lagman Basin

Then…

The permeability of the Collyhurst sandstone would be better

updip

The fault damage zone wouldn’t affect the formation (diagenetic

effects)

The GWC zone would be deeper, thus adding more volume to the

reservoir and better porosity/permeability values

What if ….?

The well wasn’t drilled in the

downthrown part

but instead on the footwall

(BP’s Prospect A) ?

Prospect analysis in the Lagman Basin

Prospect analysis in the Lagman Basin

Discovery ‘D’

P50 90 BCF Prospect Model ‘A’

P50 120 BCF

FISCAL REGIME OF THE ISLE OF MAN

• Fiscal Arrangements to be determined

• Acreage Rental from £15/km2

• No restrictions on purchase of land and property

• Double tax treaty with the UK

FISCAL REGIME OF THE ISLE OF MAN

The 2nd Offshore Licensing Round of the Isle of Man will

coincide with the 30th Offshore Licensing Round in the UK

Any questions? Come and visit us at our booth Stand #38

Thank you