Major gas discovery off coast of Scotland

French energy giant Total said the discovery can be developed quickly due to existing infrastructure in the area

Ineos and SSE also have stakes in the discovery (Reuters)

A major gas discovery off the Scottish coast has been announced by French energy giant Total.

The discovery, which was made on the Glendronach prospect to the west of Shetland in a formation below the Edradour gas reservoir, could potentially deliver one trillion cubic feet of recoverable resources, the company said.

Total has a 60 per cent stake in Glendronach, while Ineos and SSE each have a 20 per cent holding in the prospect.

The company said the discovery can be developed quickly due to existing infrastructure around the Edradour field and the nearby Laggan-Tormore facilities of the Shetland Gas Plant.

Arnaud Breuillac, president of exploration and production at Total, said: "Glendronach is a significant discovery for Total which gives us access to additional gas resources in one of our core areas and validates our exploration strategy.

(Total (Total)

"Located on an emerging play of the prolific west of Shetland area, the discovery can be commercialised quickly and at low cost by leveraging the existing Laggan-Tormore infrastructure."

Total drilled a 4,312-metre well during exploration, with preliminary tests confirming "good reservoir quality, permeability and well production deliverability".

The group's production in the UK comes mainly from fields located offshore in three major zones: the Alwyn/Dunbar area in the northern North Sea, the Elgin/Franklin area in the central North Sea and the Laggan-Tormore hub in the west of Shetland area.