Statoil Petroleum AS (Statoil) has received consent to carry out exploration drilling of well 16/2-17 B at the Johan Sverdrup field in the Norwegian par of the North Sea, using the Ocean Vanguard semi-submersible drilling rig.
In February 2013, Statoil received consent to drill appraisal well 16/2-17 S at the Johan Sverdrup field in the North Sea, and has now received consent to drill exploration well 16/2-17 B as a sidetrack to this.
Water depth at the site is 111 metres.
Drilling of the main well started on 21 March 2013. Including the sidetrack well, the activity will have a duration of up to 150 days.