ATP Oil and Gas UK Ltd. has secured a rig to drill an appraisal well in the Skipper field located in Block 9/21a in the northern North Sea, Independent Oil and Gas Ltd. (IOG) announced.

IOG owns 50% of the Skipper field, which was first discovered in 1990 by Unocal. Mechanical issues prevented a substantive flow test at that time and the aim of the appraisal well is to get a better sample and observe the flow characteristics. There is also a secondary objective to test the deeper Maureen and Dornoch exploration targets. A recent Competent Person Report from AGR Tracs assigns a mid-case of 25.8 MMbbls gross contingent resources.

The well is targeted to spud in the first half of 2013 by the Transocean Arctic III. The well slot is part of an innovative long term contract entered into by ATP that provides for the development well drilling for Cheviot and also allows certain third parties to use rig slots at a discount to prevailing market rates.