Offshore staff
OSLO -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has approved Statoil’s plan to drill an exploration well in the Sleipner area of the North Sea.
The semisub Ocean Vanguard will drill well 15/6-11 S I production license PL 303, after finishing work wildcat well 25/5-7 in PL 102 C.
This latest well will be drilled on behalf of the licensees in the 15/5-1 Dagny discovery (PLs 048, 303, 029, and 029 B). Partners in this expanded licensee group are Det norske oljeselskap, ExxonMobil Exploration & Production Norway, and Total E&P Norge.
According to NPD, the area in PL 303 consists of parts of blocks 15/2, 3, 5, 6, and 8. The well will be drilled in block 15/6 on the east flank of 15/5-1 Dagny, just north of the Sleipner West field.
PL 303 was awarded in 2003, under Norway’s APA 2003 licensing round. This will be the fifth well drilled on the permit.
Another Norwegian approvals body, Petroleum Safety Authority Norway, has cleared Lundin Norway for exploration drilling in the North Sea, using the TransoceanWinner.
The rig will drill well 16/7-9 in a water depth of 78 m (256 ft). The program expected to last 41 to 56 days, depending on whether a discovery results.
10/22/2010
