The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Total E&P Norge AS a drilling permit for wellbore 25/5-7, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Regulations.
Wellbore 25/5-7 will be drilled from the Ocean Vanguard drilling facility at position 59° 39’ 43.27” north, 2° 34’ 15.37” east after a stay at the shipyard at Ågotnes outside Bergen.
The drilling program for wellbore 25/5-7 relates to the drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 102 C. Total E&P Norge AS is the operator with a 40 per cent interest, with partners Det norske oljeselskap ASA (10 per cent), Centrica Resources (Norge) AS (20 per cent) and Petoro AS (30 per cent). The area in this licence consists of parts of block 25/5, and the well will be drilled just south of the Frøy field in the central part of the North Sea.
Production licence 102 C was awarded on 20 March 2009 as a supplement to the 9th licensing round. This is the first well to be drilled within the licence.
The permit is conditional upon the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities prior to commencing the drilling activity.
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Source: Ptil, August 26, 2010: