Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has approved Petro-Canada Norge’s plan to drill an appraisal well in the North Sea, 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of the Snorre B platform.
Well 34/4-13 S will be drilled from the semisubmersible West Alpha, after it has completed its current program on Statoil’s Alve field in the Norwegian Sea. This will be the second well on production license 375, which was awarded under Norway’s APA 2005 licensing round. The concession comprises parts of blocks 34/4 and 34/5.
NPD has also sanctioned Norske Shell’s request to drill a wildcat in the Norwegian Sea, 50 km (31 mi) northeast of its Gro gas discovery and around 410 km (255 mi) west of Sandnessjøen.
The harsh-environment semi Aker Barents will drill well 6603/5-1 S in PL 392, a 19th licensing round award comprising blocks 6603/5, 6603/6, 6603/7, and 6603/8. Partners in the license are Statoil Petroleum, ConocoPhillips Skandinavia, and BG Norge.
Another Norwegian approvals body, Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway, has authorized Norwegian Energy Co. to drill an exploration well in PL 545, 110 km (68.3 mi) southwest of Haugesund, using the semisubWest Alpha. Water depth at the location is around 272 m (892 ft). The program should get under way shortly, with an expected duration of 45 days.
PSA has also authorized Statoil to start operations through the new L-103 pipeline taking production between subsea template L and the Åsgard B platform in the Norwegian Sea. The consent additionally entails changes to process equipment on the platform imposed by the new pipeline. No modifications are needed to the process equipment on Åsgard A.
Åsgard draws in gas and condensate from the Midgard, Smørbukk, and Smørbukk Sør fields in blocks 6507/11, 6407/2, and 6506/11
The new 4-km (2.5-mi) long pipeline has an internal diameter of 9-in. (22.8-cm) and facilitates production from subsea template L to Åsgard B. PSA adds that it should be possible to produce the wells either to Åsgard A, Åsgard B, or to both facilities at the same time.
Start-up of the new line is scheduled for October.
09/07/2010
