Statoil gets GoM deepwater drilling permit

Offshore staff

NEW ORLEANS – Statoil has the go-ahead from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement to drill Well-1 in Alaminos Canyon block 810 in 7,134 ft (2,174 m) water depth 216 mi (348 km) offshore Texas.

Statoil has contracted Helix Well Containment Group to supply containment services if required on the well.

Statoil had a rig under contract and an approved permit to drill when GoM activity was halted in response to the Macondo well.

This brings to six the number of deepwater drilling permits issued by BOEMRE subsequent to establishing new safety standards after Macondo.

“This permit is the sixth we have approved since Feb. 17, when industry demonstrated that it had the capacity to handle subsea blowouts and spills. Some say we are now proceeding too quickly; some say we are still proceeding too slowly. The truth is, we are proceeding as quickly as our resources allow to approve permit applications that satisfy our rigorous safety and environmental standards,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich.

03/29/2011