Lundin picks up drilling permit for Barents Sea appraisal

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Lundin a drilling permit for an appraisal well in the Barents Sea, offshore Norway. 

The NPD said on Friday that the wellbore 7120/1-5 will be drilled from the Ocean Rig-owned Leiv Eiriksson semi-submersible drilling rig.

The drilling program for wellbore 7120/1-5 relates to the drilling of an appraisal well in production license 492.

Lundin Norway is the operator with an ownership interest of 40 per cent. The other licensee is Aker BP ASA with 60 per cent. The area in this license consists of the blocks 7120/1 and 7120/2.

The well will be drilled about four kilometers north of the 7120/1-3 discovery well in production licence 492.

Production licence 492 was awarded on February 29, 2008 in APA 2007.

The permit is contingent upon the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities before starting the drilling activities.