Two Transocean semis approved for Norwegian drilling

The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given its consent for the employment of the semisubmersibles Polar Pioneer and Transocean Winner on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

The PSA said today Statoil received permission to carry out exploration drilling on Block 7220/8 with the Polar Pioneer at a drillsite approximately 200 km from land northwest of Ingoya in Finnmark county and some 210 km south-southeast of Bjornoya, with the water depth at the site 373 meters. It said that the plan is for drilling to start at the beginning of September and last for about 36 days. The well will be drilled in accordance with guidelines forming the basis for the report on the consequences of year-round petroleum activities in the Lofoten - Barents Sea area (ULB). The consent is also given under the assumption that Statoil carries out collection and reporting of meteorological and oceanographic data, including reporting potential proximity between the facility, the ice edge, drift ice or icebergs. The regulations contain a legal basis for ordering operators to carry out this duty.

Lundin Norway, a subsidiary of Lundin Petroleum, has received consent to carry out exploration drilling of a well in Block 16/1 in the Norwegian North Sea in production license 338. The 16/1-14 well is to assess the production properties of the formation. The drilling location is approximately 175 km west-southwest off the coast of Karm¿y in Rogaland, where the water depth is 112 meters.

The drilling activity was scheduled to start at the end of last month and has a planned duration of 40 days. Depending on the results, a production test and possible sidetrack drilling will be carried out, and so the overall activities could take up to 65 days.
Lundin is the operator of production license 338 with an ownership interest of 50% in partnership with Wintershall Norge with 30%, and RWE-Dea Norge with 20%.