Green light for Equinor’s North Sea drilling gig with COSL rig

September 3, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Norway’s state-owned energy giant Equinor has secured the Norwegian authorities’ blessing for drilling activities in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, which will be conducted with a semi-submersible rig owned by COSL Drilling Europe, an offshore drilling player.

COSL Innovator; Source: Serica Energy via LinkedIn

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Equinor consent for exploration drilling in block 34/6 in the North Sea. As a result, the company will be able to spud the well 34/6-9 S, also known as the Avbitertang prospect, in production licenses 554 and 554D.

While the first license is valid from February 19, 2010, up to the same date in 2040, the second one is active from March 2, 2018, and set to expire on the same date in 2028. Equinor is the operator of these licenses with a 40% stake, while its partners, Vår Energi and Aker BP, each hold a 30% interest.

The drilling of the well will be undertaken with the COSL Innovator drilling rig, which the Norwegian state-owned giant hired in August 2023 for a two-year contract, starting in the second quarter of 2025. This deal comes with extension options for three additional years.

The 2012-built COSL Innovator semi-submersible rig is designed to operate in water depths up to 750 meters. The consent for the Avbitertang prospect, which is situated in a water depth of 387 meters, includes an option to drill a sidetrack, delineation well 34/6-9 A, known as Hekksaks.