French oil major Total SA on Monday reported a "major" gas find off the western coast of Shetland on the Glendronach prospect.

The announcement was noted by SSE, which has a 20% interest in Glendronach to Total's 60%. Ineos E&P UK Ltd has 20% as well.

Total said the well, drilled to 4,312 metres, found a gas column with 42 metres of net pay in the lower Cretaceous.

It added: "Preliminary tests confirm good reservoir quality, permeability and well production deliverability, with recoverable resources estimated at about one trillion cubic feet."

The site can be quickly developed, the French firm continued, using existing infrastructure at the Edradour field and the Laggan-Tormore facilities of the Shetland gas plant.

SSE Wholesale Director Martin Pibworth said: "This discovery represents a major addition to SSE's recoverable gas resources. Gas production assets are a natural complement to SSE's interests in gas-fired power generation and gas supply to business customers.

"They are expected to add to SSE's earnings from gas production in due course. In the meantime, we will continue to support exploration and appraisal activities around our existing assets."