All-systems-go for Harbour to drill North Sea prospect with Noble rig

Harbour Energy Norge, a Norwegian subsidiary of Harbour Energy, has received consent from Norway’s offshore safety regulator for exploration drilling in the North Sea, using one of Noble Corporation’s jack-up rigs.

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) recently gave Harbour Energy consent for exploration drilling in block 15/9 in the North Sea. The prospect, Amethyst, is located in production license 1138, which was awarded on March 11, 2022, and is valid until March 11, 2028.

Harbour Energy Norge holds an ownership interest of 40% and acts as the operator of the license, while its partners are Sval Energi (30%) and Aker BP (30%). The water depth at the location is around 84 meters and the consent covers the drilling of the well 15/9-25, which will be carried out with Noble Corporation’s Noble Integrator jack-up rig.

This jack-up scored a one-well contract with Harbour Energy on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) in the summer of 2023, with an estimated duration of 35 days. The PSA’s consent, which comes two weeks after the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) gave Harbour a drilling permit for the well, includes an option for drilling sidetracks and well testing upon discovery.

The 2014-built Noble Integrator is a Gusto MSC CJ70 X150 MD jack-up rig, which was constructed at Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore. It can accommodate 150 people. Capable of working in a water depth of 492 ft, the rig’s maximum drilling depth is 40,000 ft.

Previously, Aker BP contracted the rig under the frame agreement with Maersk Drilling in 2017 when the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance, including Halliburton, was established. In December 2021, a deal to renew the frame agreement was disclosed.

The Noble Integrator rig secured more work with Aker BP after the Norwegian player entered into drilling and wells alliance agreements in January 2023 with Noble Corporation, Odfjell Drilling, and Halliburton to undertake drilling activities on the NCS.