Drilling is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027 at the Bruce field, where Serica is preparing to undertake the first drilling programme since 2012. The company said the Bruce wells alone could deliver more than 10,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of additional production, with first output potentially following around 12 months after drilling starts.
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The commitment comes amid sustained debate over the impact of the UK’s tax regime on investment in the North Sea. Serica Energy has previously described the fiscal regime as punitive and warned that investment would depend on projects generating a fair return.
However, Serica’s decision highlights how companies are continuing to identify investment opportunities in the mature basin. Its campaign is focused on what the company describes as high-return opportunities close to existing infrastructure, potentially allowing additional resources to be brought into production relatively quickly.
The Beacon Pacific contract covers a firm programme of six wells and options for further activity. Serica said the opportunities targeted by the campaign could help it sustain portfolio production of 50,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day into the next decade.
Chris Cox, chief executive, said securing the rig represented “an important milestone in delivering our organic growth programme”.
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“Our first campaign will be at Bruce – the field’s first drilling programme in almost fifteen years – where we are targeting high-return infill wells with the potential for rapid payback,” he added.
“Utilising the Beacon Pacific also gives us the operational flexibility to progress additional opportunities across Kyla and the Greater Laggan Area, following partner and regulatory approval, maintaining momentum in our wider UKCS portfolio.”
The Bruce hub is located about 340 kilometres north-east of Aberdeen and comprises the Bruce, Keith and Rhum fields. Serica Energy says the hub currently produces around 5% of the UK’s gas. Bruce was discovered in 1974 and developed by BP in the early 1990s, with Serica Energy taking over as operator in 2018.
The company has identified a series of potential drilling locations on the western side of Bruce, with the new campaign intended both to increase production and support an extension of the life of the hub.
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The opportunities at Kyla and in the Greater Laggan Area are subject to partner and regulatory approvals. The prospects identified by Serica include the redevelopment of Kyla, where it sees potential initial production of more than 5,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, as well as further opportunities west of Shetland.
The programme comes as Serica Energy enjoys a significantly stronger financial position. In August, it reported production of 44,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day during the first half of 2026, up from 24,700 in the same period the previous year. Revenue increased from $305 million to $677m, while free cash flow rose from $26m to $184m.
At that point Mr Cox said the company expected to confirm the contracting of a rig for what he described as its “high-impact and rapid return organic growth projects” in the UK North Sea in the near future.
The commitment to further UK drilling comes as Serica also looks overseas for growth. Mr Cox said in August that establishing a significant international business to complement the company’s position on the UK Continental Shelf was a long-standing objective.
