The company has revealed that two columns of oil have been found since drilling operations commenced in November at the Darwin field, about 80 miles north-east of Shetland. Further tests on both discoveries will now take place.
Leo Koot, managing director of TAQA's UK oil and gas business, said: "This discovery proves that the North Sea still has great potential."
The Darwin field is a joint venture between TAQA and Fairfield Energy. The chief executive officer of Fairfield, Chris Wright, said: "We are delighted with the excellent results from the Darwin drilling programme, which has seen one potentially significant discovery and confirmation of the areal extent of a previous discovery.
"The presence of two rigs concurrently on the location demonstrates the operational excellence and commitment of both Fairfield and TAQA, towards expediting exploration and appraisal of this important area.”
