Aker BP preparing to spin the drill bit in Norwegian Sea

Norwegian oil and gas player Aker BP has secured a green light from the country’s offshore safety regulator to use one of Odfjell Drilling’s semi-submersible rigs for exploration activities in the Norwegian Sea.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Aker BP consent to carry out exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea in production license 261, which was awarded on May 12, 2000, and is valid until May 12, 2036.

Aker BP has an ownership interest of 70% and acts as the operator of the license, while its partner, Wintershall Dea Norge, holds the remaining 30% stake. The water depth at the location is around 340 meters.

The drilling of the Storjo West 6507/2-7 S well will be undertaken with the 2009-built Deepsea Nordkapp, former Stena Midmax, semi-submersible drilling rig, which Odfjell Drilling bought from Samsung Heavy in April 2018.

This is a sixth-generation dynamically positioned harsh environment and winterized semi-submersible of a Moss-enhanced CS 60E design. Odfjell Drilling was one of the three offshore drilling contractors that entered into drilling and wells alliance agreements in January 2023 with Aker BP to undertake drilling activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Thanks to this, the Deepsea Nordkapp rig was contracted to the end of 2024 with an option to extend the contract further. The two players agreed to prolong the rig’s work in December 2023 for two years.