Statoil has started drilling its second exploration well on the Brugdan prospect, located in licence area 006 off the Faroes.
Faroe-based Atlantic Petroleum, which has a 1% interest in the 6104/21-2 well, said it was being drilled using the new, Chinese-built COSL Pioneer semi-submersible working in a water depth of about 450 metres (1,476ft).
Atlantic said: “Brugdan is a large four-way dip closure in the Tertiary that was previously drilled in 2006 by the 6104/21-1 well which was abandoned prior to reaching the Vaila Sandstone target due to mechanical issues.” The well is expected to take four to five months.
Atlantic chief executive Ben Arabo said: “We are very pleased to announce the spudding of the high-impact Brugdan II well in the Faroe Islands. Although the well is both geologically and technically challenging, it could, if successful, have a very big impact on Atlantic and on the Faroese shelf in general. This will be followed by the UK Spaniards well to be drilled in the latter part of 2012.”
In 2006, Statoil failed to encounter hydrocarbons with its initial Brugdan exploration well.