The Ardmore Field started life as the Argyll Field and was the first productive oilfield in the UKCS with production start-up in June 1975 (Robson, 1991). The discovery well 30/24-2 was drilled by the Hamilton Brothers on a horst feature identified at base Cretaceous level. Further wells established oil-bearing Upper Jurassic and Devonian sandstones. The Zechstein was the principal productive interval during the first five years of field development and historically has produced the majority of the oil from the field. Flow rates in excess of 16,000 BOPD were achieved from the Zechstein.

In 1979 the 30/24-11 well penetrated oil-bearing Rotliegendes sandstones in the central part of the field. This proved to be a prolific producing interval with flow rates up to 11,000 BOPD. Production performance from the Devonian tended to be poorer although rates in excess of 5,500 BOPD were achieved. By 1991 the field was in decline and was decommissioned in 1992.