01 Jun 2021 (Last Updated June 1st, 2021 11:07)
Equinor Energy will drill well 6407/1-9 in production licence 939 using West Hercules drilling facility.
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The well will be drilled around 2km northeast of the 6407/1-5 S Maria appraisal well and 7km northwest of 6407/1-6 S Rodriguez. Credit: Colin.
Equinor Energy has secured permission from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) to drill an exploration well in the North Sea.
The company will drill well 6407/1-9 using West Hercules drilling facility around 2km north-east of the 6407/1-5 S Maria appraisal well and 7km north-west of 6407/1-6 S Rodriguez.
The programme is associated with the drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 939, which includes parts of blocks 6406/3 and 6407/1. The exploration well will be the first one to be drilled in the licence.
Drilling at Stangnestind was originally planned to take place in late 2019, but operations were postponed, reportedly because of the COVID-19. (iStock)
Warnings from climate experts notwithstanding, oil and gas exploration continues in the Barents Sea. Aker BP now prepares to drill at the Stangnestind just few kilometers from Norway’s border to Russia.
Semisubmersible rig
Deepsea Nordkapp was the last days of May moving towards the drill site located in the easternmost part of the Norwegian shelf. Aker BP has major expectations from Stangnestind, a part of a license obtained in 2016.
The well named after a mountain top on the Varanger Peninsula is located at 72 degrees North, just about ten kilometers from Norway’s maritime border to Russia. In addition to Aker BP, the license consortia includes Russian oil company Lukoil (20%), Equinor (20%) and Petoro (20%).
Norway: Aker BP granted drilling permit for wells 7234/6-1 and 7234/6-1 A in PL 858
31 May 2021
7234/6-1 and
PL 858.
Wells 7234/6-1 and 7234/6-1 A will be drilled from the
Deepsea Nordkapp drilling facility in position 72°38 54.39 N and 34°50 49.29 E after concluding the drilling of wildcat well 7322/6-1 S for Equinor in production licence PL 722.
Aker BP is the operator with an ownership interest of 40 per cent. The other licensees are
Lukoil Overseas North Shelf (20 per cent), Petoro (20 per cent) and
Equinor (20 per cent).
The area in this licence consists of
parts of blocks 7234/3, 7234/6, 7235/1, 7235/2, 7235/3, 7235/4 and
7235/5.
The wells will be drilled about
Norway: Equinor granted drilling permit for well 6407/1-9 in PL 939
31 May 2021
6407/1-9 in production licence PL 939.
Well 6407/1-9 will be drilled from the West Hercules drilling facility in position 64°58 46.07 N and 07°02 55.18 E.
Equinor is the operator with an ownership interest of 70 per cent. The other licensee is
PGNiG Upstream Norway AS (30 per cent). The area in this licence consists of
parts of blocks 6406/3 and 6407/1.
The well will be drilled about
2 kms northeast of the 6407/1-5 S Maria appraisal well and about
7 kms northwest of 6407/1-6 S Rodriguez.
Production licence 939 was awarded on 2 March 2018 (APA 2017). This is the first exploration well to be drilled in the licence.
Norway: Equinor granted drilling permit for well 6507/3-14 in PL 159 B
31 May 2021
6507/3-14 in production licence PL 159 B.
Well 6507/3-14 will be drilled from the West Hercules drilling facility in position 65°58 55.25 N and 7°43 07.48 E.
Equinor is the operator with an ownership interest of 53 per cent. The other licensees are
DNO Norge (32 per cent) and INEOS E&P Norge (15 per cent).
The area in this licence consists of
parts of block 6507/3. The well will be drilled about
15 kms west of the Norne field.
Production licence 159 B was awarded on 13 August 2004. This is the fifth exploration well to be drilled in the licence.