Offshore staff

STAVANGER -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted StatoilHydro ASA a drilling permit for wellbore 7226/2-1 in production license 395 in the Barents Sea.

The permit includes drilling of a wildcat well 194 km (121 mi) northeast of Nordkapp.

StatoilHydro ASA is the operator with a 50% ownership interest. The other licensees are BG Norge ASA with 30% and Petoro AS with a 20% ownership interest.

The area in production license 395, awarded in the 19th Licensing Round in 2006, consists of the blocks 7226/2, 7226/3, and 7227/1. Wildcat well 7226/2-1 is the first well in this production license and the wellbore will be drilled from thePolar Pioneer.

05/01/2008