The Dooish well was drilled in the Rockall basin last October by Enterprise Energy Ireland under frontier exploration licence 2/94. At the time a statement issued by my colleague Minister of State Browne said:
Before the size of the accumulation or the possibility of any commercial development can be assessed, a considerable amount of analysis of existing data together with much further appraisal work on the prospect will be required. It is expected that appraisal operations will resume at the earliest opportunity during the drilling season in 2003.
These appraisal operations commenced last weekend with the re-entry of the Dooish well 12/2-1 having received the necessary approvals from my Department. Operations on the well, which had to be suspended last October due to poor weather conditions, must be completed and the results analysed before any further assessment can be made of the likely significance of the discovery.
Consequent to my approval of a plan to develop the Seven Heads gas field, Ramco Seven Heads Limited, as operator, completed the drilling and testing of the Seven Heads gas development well in the North Celtic Sea Basin using the semi-submersible drilling rig Sedco 711. Drilling commenced on 15 March 2003 and the well was drilled to a total depth of 4260 ft. It was tested and produced dry gas at a maximum rate of 34.3 million cubic feet per day. The well was suspended pending tie-in to the field's subsea facilities and the rig was moved off location on 18 April 2003.