Gas field · UK
West Sole
West Sole is a gas field in the southern North Sea, operated by Perenco Oil & Gas. It was discovered in 1965 and has produced since 1967. In July 2026 it produced about 0.8 million cubic metres of gas a day.
Production
West Sole has produced about 1 million barrels of oil and condensate and 33.4 billion cubic metres of gas since April 1983. The NSTA's monthly records for the field begin in April 1983, but it started producing in March 1967, so earlier output isn't included.
Latest: 0.8 million cubic metres a day in July 2026. Highest year: 1984, averaging 4.4 million cubic metres a day. Highest month: January 1985.
Latest: 7 barrels a day in July 2026. Highest year: 1990, averaging 200 barrels a day. Highest month: October 1990.
Average production by year
| Year | Oil and condensate, barrels a day | Gas, million m³ a day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Jul) | 10 | 0.76 |
| 2025 | 12 | 0.74 |
| 2024 | 15 | 0.76 |
| 2023 | 13 | 0.81 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0.79 |
| 2021 | 4 | 0.77 |
| 2020 | 6 | 0.83 |
| 2019 | 7 | 0.89 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0.82 |
| 2016 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 | 1.1 |
| 2013 | 0 | 1.3 |
| 2012 | 0 | 1.2 |
| 2011 | 0 | 1.3 |
| 2010 | 0 | 1.4 |
| 2009 | 52 | 1.3 |
| 2008 | 88 | 1.5 |
| 2007 | 78 | 1.5 |
| 2006 | 75 | 1.6 |
| 2005 | 69 | 1.6 |
| 2004 | 69 | 1.3 |
| 2003 | 97 | 2.1 |
| 2002 | 110 | 2.3 |
| 2001 | 120 | 2.6 |
| 2000 | 140 | 2.8 |
| 1999 | 160 | 3.2 |
| 1998 | 180 | 3.3 |
| 1997 | 170 | 3.4 |
| 1996 | 120 | 2.3 |
| 1995 | 180 | 3.2 |
| 1994 | 160 | 2.8 |
| 1993 | 190 | 3.4 |
| 1992 | 170 | 3.2 |
| 1991 | 170 | 3.5 |
| 1990 | 200 | 3.7 |
| 1989 | 83 | 3.6 |
| 1988 | 0 | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 0 | 4.3 |
| 1986 | 33 | 3.8 |
| 1985 | 0 | 4.1 |
| 1984 | 0 | 4.4 |
| 1983 (Apr–Dec) | 0 | 3.7 |
Field details
| Status | Producing |
|---|---|
| Type | Gas field |
| Operator | Perenco Oil & Gas |
| Licensee |
|
| Original operator | BP |
| Discovered | December 1965 (well 48/06-1) |
| First production | March 1967 |
| Water depth | 26 m |
| Region | Southern North Sea |
| Wells inside the outline | 40 |
Platforms and installations
Licences
The field lies in these 2 current licences:
Nearby
- Fields within 10 km: Hyde (0.6 km), Newsham (1 km), Hoton (6.3 km), Helvellyn (9.6 km).
- Wind farms within 40 km: Triton Knoll (28 km).
- Protected areas overlapping the field: Southern North Sea SAC.
Sources
Production: NSTA, UKCS field production reports (PPRS), monthly to July 2026. Field details, platforms, licences and wells: NSTA open data, as on the atlas map. Contains information provided by the North Sea Transition Authority and/or other third parties. Used under the NSTA Open User Licence.
Offshore Data Atlas converts the reported volumes to barrels and cubic metres a day (one cubic metre is 6.29 barrels). UK gas figures are all the gas produced, including gas used offshore as fuel, flared or put back into the reservoir.