Dana's gas find in North Sea

The Aberdeen-based firm said the find, which was in line with pre-drill estimates of approximately 130 billion cubic feet of gas, bodes well for further exploration in the region.

Dana said the site, known as Platypus, was the first of its three well digging programmes in the UK Southern North Sea.

The well was drilled in a water depth of around 142 feet to a total depth of 11,048 feet and the firm said it encountered 218 feet of "good quality gas bearing sands".

Further tests will now be performed on the Platypus field to assess development options.