Equinor gains consent to use Transocean rig for North Sea drilling

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 Transocean Spitsbergen rig.

The well, named 25/6-6 S, is located in production license 870 in the North Sea where Equinor is the operator. Equinor holds 80 percent ownership interest while the remaining 20 percent is owned by Faroe Petroleum.

Announcing its consent for the well last Friday, the offshore safety body said that the drilling was planned to start in early January 2019 and would last 35 days in a water depth of 123 meters.

The PSA added that the well was located northeast of the Utsira High in the North Sea, approximately 115 kilometers from land.

The exploration well will be drilled by the Transocean Spitsbergen, a semi-submersible mobile drilling rig of the Aker H-6e type, owned and operated by Transocean Offshore.

The rig was built at the Aker Stord yard in 2009, is registered in the Marshall Islands, and classified by DNV GL.