i3 Energy has started drilling a pilot well at its Liberator field in the UK North Sea using the Borgland Dolphin semi-submersible drilling rig.

The LPt-02 pilot well will optimize the placement of the first Liberator Phase I production well, LP-02, planned to be drilled in 2020.

The company will provide LPt-02 drilling results to the market when the well has reached total depth and acquired data has been evaluated, i3 said.

The results of the LPt-02 well will allow the location and trajectory of the future LP-02 production well to be optimized and will be plugged and abandoned as planned before the rig moves to the LA-03 location, the next well in i3’s 2019 drilling program. The LA-03 appraisal well is expected to partially convert Liberator West resources into reserves.

Majid Shafiq, CEO of i3 Energy said: “We are excited to now be on location and drilling the first of three high impact wells into our 100% owned Liberator and Serenity structures and look forward to updating the market as each well objective is achieved.”

Following the 2019 drilling campaign, in 2020 the company expects to undertake further development drilling and to secure delivery of first oil from Liberator at approximately 20,000 bopd.

With the successful appraisal and development of Liberator and Serenity, i3 could potentially produce more than 200 MMbbls3 from its current licenses, according to i3.