Abstract The Ribblesdale fold belt, representing the Variscan inversion of the Bowland Basin, is a well-known geological feature of northern England. It represents a crustal strain discontinuity between the granite-underpinned basement highs of the northern Pennines and Lake District in the north, and the Central Lancashire High/southern Pennines, in the south. Recent seismic interpretation and mapping have demonstrated that the Ribblesdale fold belt continues offshore towards Anglesey via the Deemster Platform, beneath the Permo-Triassic sedimentary cover of the southern part of the East Irish Sea Basin. The Môn–Deemster fold–thrust belt (FTB) affects strata of Mississippian to late Pennsylvanian age. Variscan thrusts extend down into the pre-Carboniferous basement but apparently terminate at a low-angle detachment deeper in the crust, here correlated with the strongly sheared Penmynydd Zone exposed in the adjacent onshore. Up to 15% shortening is observed on seismic sections across the FTB offshore, but is greater in the strongly inverted onshore segment. Pre-Carboniferous thrusting post-dates formation of the Penmynydd Zone, and is probably of Acadian age, when basement structures such as the southward-vergent Carmel Head Thrust formed. Extensional reactivation of the Acadian structures in early Mississippian time defined the northern edge of the offshore Bowland Basin. The relatively late brittle structures of the Menai Strait fault system locally exhume the Penmynydd Zone and define the southern edge of the basin. The longer seismic records from the offshore provide insights to the tectonic evolution of the more poorly imaged FTB onshore.

Abstract Seismic mapping of key Paleozoic surfaces in the East Irish Sea–North Channel region has been incorporated into a review of hydrocarbon prospectivity. The major Carboniferous basinal and inversion elements are identified, allowing an assessment of the principal kitchens for hydrocarbon generation and possible migration paths. A Carboniferous tilt-block is identified beneath the central part of the (Permian–Mesozoic) East Irish Sea Basin (EISB), bounded by carbonate platforms to the south and north. The importance of the Bowland Shale Formation as the key source rock is reaffirmed, the Pennine Coal Measures having been extensively excised following Variscan inversion and pre-Permian erosion. Peak generation from the Bowland source coincided with maximum burial of the system in late Jurassic–early Cretaceous time. Multiphase Variscan inversion generated numerous structural traps whose potential remains underexplored. Leakage of hydrocarbons from these into the overlying Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone reservoirs is likely to have occurred on a number of occasions, but currently unknown is how much resource remains in place below the Base Permian Unconformity. Poor permeability in the Pennsylvanian strata beneath the Triassic fields is a significant risk; the same may not be true in the less deeply buried marginal areas of the EISB, where additional potential plays are present in Mississippian carbonate platforms and latest Pennsylvanian clastic sedimentary rocks. Outside the EISB, the North Channel, Solway and Peel basins also contain Devonian and/or Carboniferous rocks. There have, however, been no discoveries, largely a consequence of the absence of a high-quality source rock and a regional seal comparable to the Mercia Mudstone Group and Permian evaporites of the Cumbrian Coast Group in the EISB.

Abstract South Morecambe Gas Field is situated in the East Irish Sea and produces gas from the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group. Exploration of the basin commenced in 1966 and the discovery well, 110/2-1, was drilled in 1974. Appraisal was complete by 1983 and development was carried out in two phases with the object of providing deliverability to help to satisfy the winter peak in demand. First gas was produced in January 1985 and production duringthe winter can be sustained at 50MMCMD (1750mmscfd). The stratigraphic succession of the East Irish Sea Basin (EISB) consists of Carboniferous (Dinantian to Westphalian) strata unconformably overlain by 15000 to 20000 feet of continental Permo-Triassic strata. The Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group contains reservoir rocks and the overlying Mercia Mudstone Group evaporites provide a seal. Seismic cover of the area includes 2D and 3D data, the latter providing good images that form the basis of the current structural interpretation. The structural development of the basin commenced with extension in the Permo-Triassic followed by inversions in the late Jurassic and early Tertiary. The reservoir has been zoned using a scheme that recognizes primary depositional facies as the main criterion for correlation. The petrophysical evaluation has introduced new methods of calculating porosity,S w and net pay. The latest reservoir pressure data has been used in a material balance study and a twotank simulation model, both give GIIP estimates which are in line with earlier estimates. The new petrophysically derived reservoir parameters were also used to make a volumetric estimate of GIIP. Remaining recoverable reserves are at least 3 Tcf.

Abstract The Hamilton and Hamilton North Fields are located in Block 110/13a in the East Irish Sea, and contain 627 BCF and 230 BCF GIIP, respectively. First gas was produced from the Hamilton North Field in December 1995. The fields are being developed with four producers in the Hamilton Field and three in the Hamilton North Field. The Hamilton Field structure consists of a N-S trending horst block with dip closure to the north and south, while the Hamilton North structure is defined by major faults to the north and west with dip closure to the east and south. The gas is trapped in the highly productive Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone Formation. The reservoir comprises high porosity aeolian and fluvial sandstones. Depth to reservoir is shallow (2300-2600 ft) with the gas-water contact being at 2910ft in the Hamilton Field and 3166 ft in the Hamilton North Field. Reservoir quality is principally controlled by primary depositional processes and no significant diagenetic effects are observed. The hydrocarbon filling history was complex, with at least two phases of hydrocarbon generation. Hamilton North gas is sweet whereas the Hamilton gas contains up to 1100ppm H 2 S, which is removed during processing at the Douglas complex and at the Point of Ayr gas terminal. Cumulative gas production to May 1999 was 180 BCF and no water-cut has been observed to date.

Abstract The Lennox Field, located in blocks 110/15 and 110/14, was the second oil field to be developed in the East Irish Sea Basin. It contains 184 MMBBL of oil in-place within a 143 ft thick oil rim overlain by a large gas cap up to 750 ft thick. The GIIP is estimated to be 497 BCF. The field came on stream in February 1996, and it is now being developed with seven horizontal oil producers, including two multi-lateral wells and two crestal gas injectors. Production from the field can be divided into two distinct phases; the oil rim development phase, and the gas cap blow-down phase. The latter phase is currently anticipated to commence in 2004. The field structure consists of a roll-over anticline formed in the hanging wall of the Formby Point Fault during extensional faulting in Triassic-early Jurassic times, and later readjusted by contractional movements during Tertiary inversion. The oil and gas are trapped in the highly productive Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone Formation. The reservoir comprise high porosity aeolian and fluvial sandstones occurring at a shallow depth (c. 2500 ft) with a maximum gas column of 750 ft above an oil rim of 143 ft. The reservoir quality is principally controlled by primary depositional processes as no significant adverse diagenetic effects are observed. The hydrocarbon filling history was complex, with at least three phases of oil and gas generation. The field contains a light, saturated oil (45° API) with a GOR of 650 SCF/BBL. The crude contains high levels of H 2 S (0.1 mol%) and mercaptans (450 ppm), which are removed during processing at the Douglas complex. Water cut from the field is currently around 2-5%, and no free gas production has been observed to date. Gas production from Lennox is anticipated to start in 2004.

Abstract The Lennox Field is a saturated oilfield with a significant primary gas cap at initial conditions. Located in the East Irish Sea withincBlocks 110/14c and 110/15a, the field was discovered in 1992. First oil was achieved in February 1996. Lennox is a rollover anticline structure. The Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone Formation reservoir comprises good-quality aeolian and fluvial sandstones with typicalcporosities of 11–21%. The gas column reaches a height of c. 850 ft and overlays a 143 ft oil column. Oil initially-in-place is estimated to be 202 MMbbl, whilst total gas initially-in-place is 521 bcf. The field has been developed by a wellhead platform tied-back to the neighbouring Douglas Complex. The field development has been split into two phases: the first phase focused on oil production and involved the drilling of 12 horizontal and multilateral production wells and two gas injection wells. Oil production ceased in 2012 with total produced volumes of 103 MMbbl. The second phase comprised the gas cap blowdown, and the optimization of the existing well stock for gas production. Eni UK acquired the operatorship of the field in April 2014 and has focused on maximizing and accelerating gas production from the field.

Abstract The Douglas Field is located in Block 110/13b in the East Irish Sea. It was the first oilfield to be discovered and produced in the region, having been found in 1990 and brought on stream in January 1996. The field structure comprises a series of north–south-trending, tilted, extensional fault blocks. The reservoir interval is the Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone Formation comprising good quality aeolian and fluvial sandstones. The field is relatively shallow, with the top reservoir at c. 2120 ft true vertical depth subsea. The hydrocarbon is a light oil of 44°API gravity with a maximum column height of c. 400 ft. The Douglas Field contains an estimated stock tank oil in place of 248 MMbbl and was developed with 22 wells: 15 producers, six water injectors and a single sour gas and condensate disposal well. Electric submersible pumps are installed in oil producers for artificial lift and water injection was utilized from field start-up for pressure maintenance. A water-alternating-gas pilot was implemented on the field in 2017 as an enhanced oil recovery scheme. The field currently produces at a rate of c. 4000 bopd, with approximately 90% water cut. The field has produced 103 MMbbl to date, giving a current oil recovery of c. 41%.

Abstract Hydrocarbon exploration in the East Irish Sea Basin began with the identification of surface oil seeps in peat beds in Lancashire, UK. This precipitated the drilling of the first onshore exploration wells. The discovery of the Formby Field in west Lancashire at the end of the 1930s triggered a wave of further drilling. Wells drilled in west Lancashire had limited success, with only minor hydrocarbon shows, whilst the production from the Formby Field was modest. Nonetheless, the invaluable geological information taken from onshore wells and the ratification of the Continental Shelf Act led to a shift in focus to the offshore and a period of significant interest in the East Irish Sea. Two key periods of oil and gas exploration activity stand out in the history of the offshore basin, the first headed by the Gas Council during the 1970s resulted in the discovery of the gas giants of Morecambe Bay, whilst the second fronted by Hamilton Oil during the 1990s heralded the discovery of oil with the Douglas and Lennox fields in Liverpool Bay. Exploration in the basin has waned during the last decade; however, to date, this mature hydrocarbon province has yielded estimated hydrocarbon reserves of over 1.8 BBOE (billion barrels of oil equivalent).