Consent for Equinor to use West Hercules rig in North Sea

Norwegian oil major Equinor has received consent from the offshore safety body, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), for exploration drilling in the North Sea using the West Hercules drilling rig.

West Hercules drilling rig. Source: Lundin
West Hercules drilling rig. Source: Lundin

The well 32/4-3 S belongs to production license 921. The well has been given the prospect name Gladsheim.

Equinor is the operator of the license and holds a 50 percent ownership interest. The remaining partners are Petoro with 20 percent, and DNO and Lundin with 15 percent each.

The location where the well will be drilled is in the North Sea, around 1,758 meters from the Troll 62A Cable in a water depth of 292 meters.

The well will be drilled using the West Hercules drilling rig, which is owned and operated by Seadrill.

West Hercules is a 6th-generation semi-submersible drilling rig built in 2008 at Daewoo Shipyard, South Korea. The facility received an Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) from the PSA in 2012.

Equinor was also recently given consent by the PSA to use the West Hercules for drilling of a well for CO₂ verification in the North Sea.


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