Green light for Lundin to re-enter Barents Sea well

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Lundin Norway a drilling permit for well 7220/11-3 AR, in the Barents Sea.  

The well 7220/11-3 AR will be drilled from Ocean Rig’s Leiv Eiriksson semi-sub drilling rig in production licence 609. Lundin and Ocean Rig signed a drilling contract for a minimum of 3 wells in March 2016.

The drilling program for well 7220/11-3 AR relates to the deepening of appraisal well 7220/11-3 A, which was temporarily plugged and abandoned in 2015 in production licence 609.

Lundin Norway is the operator with an ownership interest of 40 per cent. The other licensees are Idemitsu Petroleum Norge and DEA Norge, each with 30 per cent.

The area in this licence consists of blocks/parts of blocks 7220/6, 7220/9, 7220/11, 7220/12 and 7221/4. The well will be drilled about four kilometres south of the 7220/11-1 discovery well.

Production licence 609 was awarded on May 13, 2011 in the 21st licensing round on the Norwegian shelf.

The permit is contingent on the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities prior to starting the drilling activities.