Sigguk Block
Encyclopedia
Sigguk Block is an oil exploration block in Baffin Bay
. It is located 175 kilometres (108.7 mi) west of Disko Island
, Greenland
. The block consists of Alpha, T4, and T8 prospects. The license to explore the block belongs to Cairn Energy
's subsidiary Capricorn Greenland Exploration Limited. In October 2009 Cairn Energy sold a 20% stake of its rights to Petronas
. The national oil company of Greenland NUNAOIL
owns 12.5% interest. The license expires on 31 December 2017.
Exploration wells at the Alpha prospect are drilled by semi-submersible
drilling rig
Stena Don and at the T8 prospect by the drillship
Stena Forth. Drilling commenced on 1 July 2010. On 24 August 2010, Stena Forth discovered natural gas resource when it drilled the T8-1 exploration well. However, this resource occurred to be too small for commercial production. The well was plugged and abandoned. On 21 September 2010 it was announced that oil and gas resource was discovered when drilling the Alpha-1S1 well.
Drilling at the Sigguk Block is opposed by Greenpeace
. On 31 August 2010, four Greenpeace activists invaded Stena Don which was drilling on the Alpha prospect. The Government of Greenland described this action as "very serious and an illegal attack on the country's constitutional rights". This action was ended on 1 September due to bad weather. All four activist were arrested and charged with breaking and entering, as well as trespass.
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay , located between Baffin Island and the southwest coast of Greenland, is a marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the Atlantic via Davis Strait and the Labrador Sea...
. It is located 175 kilometres (108.7 mi) west of Disko Island
Disko Island
Disko Island is a large island in Baffin Bay, off the west coast of Greenland. It has an area of , making it the second largest island of Greenland and one of the 100 largest islands in the world...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. The block consists of Alpha, T4, and T8 prospects. The license to explore the block belongs to Cairn Energy
Cairn Energy
Cairn Energy plc is a global oil and gas exploration company headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. It has operational interests in Albania, Bangladesh, Greenland, India, Nepal and Tunisia and produces around 33,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day...
's subsidiary Capricorn Greenland Exploration Limited. In October 2009 Cairn Energy sold a 20% stake of its rights to Petronas
Petronas
PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and...
. The national oil company of Greenland NUNAOIL
NUNAOIL
Nunaoil is the national oil company of Greenland founded in 1985 as an equal partnership between the Greenland Home Rule Government and DONG Energy...
owns 12.5% interest. The license expires on 31 December 2017.
Exploration wells at the Alpha prospect are drilled by semi-submersible
Semi-submersible
A semi-submersible is a specialised marine vessel with good stability and seakeeping characteristics. The semi-submersible vessel design is commonly used in a number of specific offshore roles such as for offshore drilling rigs, safety vessels, oil production platforms and heavy lift cranes.The...
drilling rig
Drilling rig
A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes or shafts in the ground. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill water wells, oil wells, or natural gas extraction wells, or they can be small enough to be moved manually by one person...
Stena Don and at the T8 prospect by the drillship
Drillship
A drillship is a maritime vessel that has been fitted with drilling apparatus. It is most often used for exploratory offshore drilling of new oil or gas wells in deep water or for scientific drilling. The drillship can also be used as a platform to carry out well maintenance or completion work such...
Stena Forth. Drilling commenced on 1 July 2010. On 24 August 2010, Stena Forth discovered natural gas resource when it drilled the T8-1 exploration well. However, this resource occurred to be too small for commercial production. The well was plugged and abandoned. On 21 September 2010 it was announced that oil and gas resource was discovered when drilling the Alpha-1S1 well.
Drilling at the Sigguk Block is opposed by Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
. On 31 August 2010, four Greenpeace activists invaded Stena Don which was drilling on the Alpha prospect. The Government of Greenland described this action as "very serious and an illegal attack on the country's constitutional rights". This action was ended on 1 September due to bad weather. All four activist were arrested and charged with breaking and entering, as well as trespass.