Exploration company Providence Resources has started drilling its Frontier Exploration Licence (FEL) 2/14 site in the southern Porcupine Basin.
The licence contains the Druid, Drombeg and Diablo prospects and is located about 220 kilometres off the south west coast of Ireland.
The 53/6-A well is operated by Providence Resources (56%) on behalf of its partners Capricorn Ireland Limited - a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn Energy with a 30% stake - and Sosina Exploration Limited with a 14% stake.
The companies are using the Stena IceMAX deep-water drillship to drill the well at a cost of $185,000 a day.
Drilling operations at the site are expected to take between 45 and 60 days, the company said.
The operations are managed by Providence from the company's Dublin headquarters with a logistical base in Cork and support services provided from Aberdeen and Houston.
The company said that in all, over 500 people are involved in the 53/6-A exploration well programme.
