Green light for Wintershall Dea to kick off drilling ops with Transocean rig

Germany’s oil and gas company Wintershall Dea has received consent from the country’s offshore safety regulator for exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea, using one of Transocean’s semi-submersible rigs.

The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) recently gave Wintershall Dea consent for exploration drilling in block 6507/4 in the Norwegian Sea. The prospects, Adriana and Sabina, are located in production licence 211 CS, which was awarded on 14 November 2022 and is valid until 2 February 2032.

Wintershall Dea holds an ownership interest of 40 per cent and acts as the operator of the licence, while its partners are Petoro (35 per cent), Aker BP (15 per cent) and Sval Energi (10 per cent).

The water depth at the location is around 446 metres and the consent includes the drilling and plugging of appraisal well Adriana and Sabina, consisting of main well 6507/4-4 S (Adriana) and sidetrack 6507/4-4 A (Sabina). This will be carried out with the Transocean Norge rig, thanks to a 17-well contract, which the rig secured in September 2022.

The contract at day rates between $350,000 and $430,000 was awarded after two oil and gas companies, Wintershall Dea and OMV, entered into an exclusive partnership with Transocean for the use of the Transocean Norge rig for the drilling of all firm and additional potential wells in the period 2023 to 2027. Transocean recently got a one-well extension with Wintershall Dea for this rig.

The Transocean Norge sixth-generation Moss Maritime CS60 semi-submersible rig was constructed at Jurong Shipyard in Singapore. This rig can accommodate 150 people and its maximum drilling depth is 40,000 ft.