NPD Approves Wintershall’s North Sea Drilling Request

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has approved Wintershall Norge’s latest North Sea drilling request.

The Songa Delta will drill well 35/12-4 S in production license 378, following completion of a wildcat well 6507/8-8 for Nexen Exploration Norge in PL 434.

PL 378 covers block 35/12 and parts of block 36/10. The well will be drilled 2.4 km (1.5 mi) northeast of the Grosbeak 35/12-2 oil discovery well in the northern part of the Norwegian North Sea.

Total E&P Norge has consent from Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway to drill an exploration well 7225/3-1 in the Barents Sea, using the West Phoenix.

Well 7225/3-1 will be drilled in PL 535, around 296 km (184 mi) northeast of Hammerfest and in 377 m (1,237 ft) water depth. Drilling should last in the range 97 days (without testing, and one coring) to 139 days (one test and coring of all reservoirs).

The PSA has also approved Marathon Petroleum Norge’s proposed program of manned underwater operations this year on the Volund and Alvheim fields in the North Sea. These will be managed by Subsea 7 using the diving vessel Seven Pelican.

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Offshore Nieuws Staff, February  6, 2012; Image:  detnor