The Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has given the green light for a number of rigs to get on with new tasks on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
StatoilHydro has been granted approval to conduct exploration drilling with the Transocean Leader in the Statfjord field on block 30/99, where it will drill well 30/9-24 some 6km from the Oseberg Field Centre. Operations are expected to last 55 days.
The PSA also gave StatoilHydro its consent to conduct exploration drilling with the Deepsea Atlantic on block 30/10 – the Gullfaks Sor field in the Tampen area. Well 34/10-52S should take some 90 days.
Talisman Energy has been granted permission to drill four sidetrack wells in the Varg A field using the Maersk Guardian in order to increase production by drilling new reservoir areas. Drilling should have just started as this edition went to print. Varg is located on block 15/12 in the Southern North Sea, about 230km west of Jaeren.
Also getting the green light is Petro-Canada Norge to conduct exploratory drilling with the Songa Delta. The rig will drill on block 34/4 in the Northern North Sea about 15km north-north-west of Snorre B and 186km north-west of Mongstad terminal. Drilling activity is planned to last for 65 days (dry well) and 85 days in the event of a discovery.
ExxonMobil has secured clearance to explore on block 25/8 using the Bredford Dolphin to drill the 25/8-17 well after it concludes the drilling of exploration well 35/3-7S for VNG Norge.
ExxonMobil is the operator with a 50% interest. Partners comprise Dana with a 40% stake, and DNO, 10%.
Lundin has been given clearance to drill an appraisal well on block 16/1 with the Songa Dee once the rig finishes drilling wildcat well 25/10-9 for the company.
The drilling of 16/1-12 relates to the drilling of an appraisal well on production licence 338. Well 16/1-12 is about 25km east of the 15/3-1S Gudrun discovery well, in the central part of the Norwegian North Sea.
Finally, DNO has been cleared to explore with the semis, Bredford Dolphin and Aker Barents. The company is to drill an exploration well on block 25/8 with the Bredford Dolphin on behalf of operator ExxonMobil.
DNO is also drilling an exploration well in the Norwegian Sea on block 6306/6 with the new-built Aker Barents. Estimated duration is some 45 days. Testing of the well is not planned, but there is an option of drilling a sidetrack.
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