Italian oil firm Eni has confirmed that it will use the Songa Enabler semi-submersible rig to drill two wells at the Goliat filed situated in the Artic.
Confirmed by the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority today, Eni will use the rig to drill two infill wells.
Work is scheduled to commence at the end of January and last 116 days.
On a long-term lease to Statoil, the Songa Enabler has recently been sublet to Aker BP and Bayerngas in late 2017.
Statoil have a 35% interest in the Goliat field, with Eni owning the rest as operator.
Artic drilling licences were only ruled on last week, with the policy passing in Norwegian court and freeing up operators to begin work.
The ruling dealt a blow to two environmental groups that had filed a lawsuit against further drilling in the Barents Sea.
The Oslo District Court acquitted the government against charges from Nature and Youth and Greenpeace Nordic that drilling for oil and gas in Arctic waters would violate the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Norwegian constitution.
The court cited the constitution, saying “natural resources shall be managed on the basis of long-term considerations, which will safeguard this right for future generations as well”.