Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway – Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway has approved the use of the semisubmersible Transocean Arctic for a program in the Norwegian Sea.
This involves drilling and production testing of well 6407/1-6 on license PL475, in a water depth of 291 m (955 ft). Wintershall Norge is the operator.
Drilling could start in November, and last up to 130 days, depending on whether a discovery is made.
In the North Sea, PSA has approved Lundin Norway’s request to use the semisubBredford Dolphin for drilling and production testing of the Johan Sverdrup discovery.
Consent applies to well 16/3-5, in PL 501. According to Lundin, the well will be drilled on the southeastern portion of the field. Activity could last 21 days, depending on whether a discovery results.
Lundin says the recentGeitungen discovery in adjacent PL265 has been confirmed as a northern extension of Johan Sverdrup.
Next year a well will be drilled on the Torvestad prospect in PL501, which could be a northerly extension of both Geitungen and Johan Sverdrup.
Lundin also sees potential for further discoveries in the Greater Luno or southern Utsira High area in the same region, and it will drill exploration wells this year and next in PL359 (Luno II), PL625 (Kopervik), PL544 (Biotitt), PL338 (Jorvik), and PL410. Other wells are lined up in the southern Norwegian North Sea on the Ogna and Carlsberg prospects.
In the northern Norwegian Sea, the company will drill an exploratory well next year on a large prospect in PL330, south of the Lofoten area.
Lundin has secured the newbuild semisubIsland Innovator for two years from 2013 along with an extension its existing contract for the Bredford Dolphin. This should ensure sufficient rig capacity for its Norwegian exploration programs through 2015.
10/31/2012
