Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway – Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has approved Statoil’s planned drilling program on the Troll field in the North Sea, using the semisubmersible COSLInnovator.

The consent applies to drilling, completion, and plugback operations in production licenses 054 and 085. Water depth varies from 333-377 m (1,092-1,237 ft).
In a separate development, Statoil has awarded contracts for the charter of seven new supply vessels for its projects on the Norwegian continental shelf. All will be equipped with advanced environmental technology.

Farstad Shipping and Atlantic Offshore will each provide two vessels, the others coming from Simon Møkster Shipping, Troms Offshore Management, and Remøy Shipping. The total contract value is NOK 3.5 billion ($587 million).

Statoil adds that all the vessels meet the International Maritime Organisation’s strictest requirements concerning NOx emissions. Additionally, all will incorporate an ecometer, a device allowing the crew to sail more optimallyf to reduce emissions.

Several of the vessels are specifically tailored to operations in the High North, with the highest oil-spill protection classification.

Charter terms vary from three to six years, but all carry annual extension options. All the newbuilds are expected to be delivered by end-2014.

6/15/2012