Harbour’s Judy platform
Harbour bullish on UKCS drilling
The firm will add a fifth rig as it seeks to extend reserve life in the basin
It is perhaps an indictment of the level of debate on the role of oil and gas on the journey to net zero that it has taken the tragic events in Ukraine to stimulate greater political and public interest in the relatively low-carbon barrels and molecules available to the UK from the North Sea. But a change in sentiment is noticeable and reinforced by increased enthusiasm for drilling by London-listed Harbour Energy, the largest independent producer on the UK continental shelf (UKCS). The firm has four rigs active in the basin and will add a fifth to drill in the Beryl area in the Northern North Sea by mid-year. One of the four recently arrived at Catcher in the Central North Sea (CNS), where
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
