NPD authorises Barents, North Sea wildcats

Three operators have received consent from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) for exploratory drilling offshore Norway.

Wellesley Petroleum AS has permission to drill exploration well 33/9-22 S in production licence 881 in the North Sea using the semi-submersible Deepsea Bergen.

The area in production licence 881 consists of parts of block 33/9. The well, the first in this production licence, will be drilled about one kilometre north of the Statfjord field. Wellesley Petroleum AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 70%. The other licensee is Faroe Petroleum Norge AS (30%).

Aker BP ASA has authorisation to drill exploration well 25/2-19 A and appraisal well 25/2-19 S in production licence 442 in the Norwegian North Sea using the jack-up Maersk Interceptor.

The wells will be drilled about 15 kilometres north of the Frøy field in the North Sea and about 140 kilometres from the coast. The area in this licence consists of a part of block 25/2 and a part of block 25/3. Aker BP ASA is the operator with an ownership interest of 90.26%. The other licensee is Lotos Exploration and Production Norge AS (9.74%).

NPD has authorised Eni Norge AS to drill exploration well ten kilometres south-west of the Goliat field in the Barents Sea. The semi-sub Scarabeo 8 will drill well 7122/10-1 S, the first in production licence 687, which consists of the north-western half of block 7122/10.

Eni Norge AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 70%. The other licensees are Edison Norge AS (20%) and Concedo ASA (10%).