§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the 112 North Sea wells in which the British National Oil Corporation has participated between 1976 and 1980, what has been the success ratio; and, of 29 wells drilled as operator and 83 in which the British National Oil Corporation participated as venture partner, how many oil discoveries were made in each category.
§ Mr. GrayOn the UKCS to end 1980 BNOC had been involved in licences in which a total of 202 wells were drilled.
Where BNOC was an operator the success ratio (assuming success to be an exploration well which flowed on test more than 1000 BOPD or 20 mmcfd gas) was 1 in 7 and in wells in which they were not the operator, 1 in 4; overall it was 1 in 6.