North Sea oil & gas drilling ops with COSL rig good to go

February 19, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has secured the go-ahead from the country’s authorities to use one of COSL Drilling Europe’s semi-submersible rigs for drilling operations in the North Sea off the coast of Norway.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Equinor consent for exploration drilling in block 25/7 in the North Sea.

The 25/7-13 well, known as the Linga prospect, is situated in the production licence 782 S, which is valid from February 6, 2015, up to the same date in 2045.

Equinor is the operator of the license with a 60% stake, while its partner, Aker BP, holds the remaining 40% interest.

Located in the water depth of 126 meters, the well will be drilled with the COSL Innovator semi-submersible rig.

The Norwegian state-owned player booked the rig in August 2023 for a two-year contract, starting in the second quarter of 2025.

The rig deal comes with extension options for three additional years. The 2012-built semi-submersible is designed to operate in water depths up to 750 meters.