Serica sanguine on sanctions
The firm's historic links to Iran are in the spotlight as US sanctions resume
Serica Energy is one of the firms seemingly punching above its weight in the North Sea as it seeks to acquire BP's stakes in the mature Bruce, Keith and Rhum (BKR) fields development. The acquisition would give it operatorship of a 5% share of UK gas production. Serica's chief executive, Mitch Flegg, told Petroleum Economist the company's agility as a smaller player with a tight focus on just a handful of assets gives it an advantage. It can delay cessation of production longer than would have been possible under the operatorship of BP, which has bigger fish to fry elsewhere. The snag is that a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company owns a 50% stake in the Rhum field, which means tha
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal






