Offshore staff
STAVANGER -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has awarded consent to StatoilHydro to conduct exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea using the Ocean Vanguard.
The consent relates to the drilling of exploration well 6407/6-7 S, as well as the potential drilling of a sidetrack, 6-7 A. The drilling activity is expected to last 55 days.
NPD has also awarded consent to StatoilHydro Petroleum, ExxonMobil Norway, and Gassco to conduct manned underwater operations (MUO) from Feb. 1 to Dec. 31, 2009.
The application for consent was submitted by StatoilHydro on behalf of the companies. The application relates to MUO to be carried out under a contract between StatoilHydro and Technip Norge, which runs from Jan.1, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2011.
According to an agreement among the companies, ExxonMobil and Gassco can also carry out MUO under the contract between StaoilHydro and Technip. The companies plan to use Technip's new diving vessel DSVSkandi Arctic for the MUO.
StatoilHydro will carry out a number of defined operations and project tasks involving saturation diving on Gullfaks, Sleipner, Statfjord C, and Heimdal. ExxonMobil plans to carry out surface-supplied diving on Jotun where the water depth is approximately 18 m (59 ft).
The companies have emergency preparedness and mobilization plans related to potential damage to subsea facilities/pipelines. In order to safeguard this preparedness, the companies must have a pre-approved consent to conduct MUO. The PSA will conduct a review prior to the operations if a situation should arise with undefined operations or project tasks, or an emergency situation.
02/09/2009
