Nexen Gets Drilling Permit for Operations Near Heidrun Field Offshore Norway

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Nexen Exploration Norge AS a drilling permit for wellbore 6507/8-8, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Well 6507/8-8 will be drilled from the Songa Delta drilling facility in position 65°16’52.53” north and 7°25’29.91” east following completion of drilling of wildcat well 35/12-3 S for Wintershall Norge ASA in production licence 378.

The drilling program for well 6507/8-8 concerns the drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 434. Nexen Exploration Norway AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 49 per cent. The other licensees are Concedo ASA (21 per cent), Norwegian Energy Company ASA (20 per cent), and E.ON Ruhrgas Norge AS (10 per cent).

The area in this licence consists of part of block 6507/8. The well will be drilled about seven kilometres northwest of the Heidrun field in the Norwegian Sea.

This is the first well to be drilled in production licence 434, which was awarded on 16 February 2007 in APA 2006.

The permit is contingent upon the operator having secured all other permits and consents required by other authorities before the drilling starts.

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Source:NPD, February  17, 2011;