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
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
28 April 2026
Restoring supply from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq involves complexities far beyond simply adjusting operational controls
28 April 2026
Datacentres will guzzle power at a ferocious rate, but the impact on wider energy markets will be far more complex than previously thought
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security






