The Carna discovery straddles blocks 43/21b and 43/22c in the Southern North Sea and lies between two producing fields, namely Garrow and Kilmar, which together constitute the Tors Development.  Work is currently focused on subsurface re-evaluation of Carna post the discovery well (43/21b-5Z) and on additional exploration prospectivity in the adjacent area licensed to Ithaca. A number of potential off-takes are being considered for the development of Carna, the most likely of these being the nearby Tors system which links back into the Trent platform hub.  Engineering and development options are being assessed by the operator (Centrica). The development of Carna is well suited to a low cost Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) tied back to the Kilmar Field (part of the Tors System) which lies approximately 11 km to the NE of Carna.

Potential First gas from Carna beginning 2012.
 

Ithaca was awarded a Promote licence composed of blocks 42/52b, 43/16 and 43/21b in the 22^nd Licencing Round in 2004.  In the 23rd Round Ithaca was awarded block 43/22c which contains the Eastern extension to the Carna discovery.  These two licences were unitised in 2007 after the partial relinquishment of 43/22c.  As part of this process, an agreement was reached with DECC that a single well commitment on either licence in the newly created Carna Unit Area would fulfill the outstanding commitments for both licences.

Ithaca and its Joint Venture partners (Centrica, Dyas and EWE) spudded the exploration well 43/21b-5 in December 2008.  After encountering technical difficulties in the 12 1/4" hole section, the 43/21b-5Z sidetrack was kicked off and reached the Carboniferous reservoir at 10029 feet TVDSS on 17^th February 2009.  The reservoir was cored and logged before a well test was carried out which flowed at a stabilised rate of 9 mcfpd.

The development of Carna is likely to be achieved using a subsea installation and two high angle or horizontal wells tied back to Kilmar.  Engineering and development planning is being carried out to optimise the development scenario.  This work is at an early stage and other well strategies and host options are being considered including a NUI tied back to Kilmar or Trent.

Subsurface, reservoir engineering and development engineering work has been started by the operator (Centrica).  The current schedule is targeting FDP submission for approval in H1 2010 with first gas in H1 2012.

The Carna structure comprises an elongate NW-SE 'pop-up' structure with over 1,000 feet of closure at the Carboniferous level.  The Carna area lies at the northern most limit of the Permian Leman Sandstone which provides the primary reservoir in numerous fields to the SE (a thin section of Leman reservoir is present at Garrow whilst none was encountered at Kilmar).  Although found to be absent at Carna, potential for a Leman secondary target remains in at least one of the identified exploration prospects in the Great Carna Area.  The Carna discovery well (43/21b-5Z) was drilled in 2009 and intersected a gross reservoir interval of 1,490 feet with 127 feet of net pay; in line with expectations.  As often seen in Carboniferous reservoirs in this area, the pay zones are concentrated towards the top of the reservoir section and the partnership recovered approximately 300 feet of core across this interval.  Extensive analysis of this core is being undertaken and these data will be invaluable in guiding the reservoir modeling work to be undertaken later in 2009 as well as providing excellent additional data to assist with the continuing exploration work. 

Initial, post well subsurface work undertaken by the Operator has estimated the Carna structure to contain 170 - 330 gross bcf.  Ithaca holds a 16% interest in the Carna Unit Area which gives net gas in place of 27 - 53 bcf.