The well is being drilled approximately 7km WSW of the 43/13b-6Z Pegasus North discovery well with the Noble Julie Robertson jackup rig in a water depth of about 95ft.
The Pegasus West has a Carboniferous gas target and is located in the Southern North Sea, close to the producing Cavendish Field.
Atlantic Petroleum CEO Ben Arabo said the company is pleased to announce the spud of the Pegasus West well.
"The well is designed to delineate the extent of the Pegasus Field, and if successful help to de-risk any future Pegasus development. This is Atlantic Petroleum’s third of four exploration wells in our planned 2014 drilling programme," Arabo added.
Centrica Energy holds a 55% interest in the license and also operates the well, with Atlantic Petroleum owns 10% equity and the remaining equity 35% is held by Third Energy Offshore.
Separately, Atlantic Petroleum has announces that the Blackbird Field second production well, 20/02a-B3, initial production testing has achieved sustained rates of over 7,000 bbls/day (c. 660 bbls/day net to Atlantic Petroleum), which was constrained by surface equipment.
The Blackbird Field is owned by Nexen Petroleum (73.02957%), Nexen Ettrick (17.57270%) and Atlantic Petroleum (9.39773%).
