Norway: Dong Receives Consent to Use Aker Barents in Barents Sea

Dong E&P Norge AS (Dong) has received consent to carry out exploration drilling in the Barents Sea with the Aker Barents mobile facility.  The consent relates to drilling of exploration well 7121/9-1 which is part of production licence 518 with DONG E&P Norge AS as the operator (40%).

The other licensees are North Energy ASA (30%), Front Exploration AS (20%) and Sagex Petroleum Norge AS (10%).  The well is located approx. 90 kilometres northwest of Hammerfest (see map).

The well has the following geographical coordinates:

N 71° 15′ 13.97″, E 21° 42′ 41.86″. Water depth at the site is 310 metres.

Drilling is scheduled to start in October 2011. The activity has an expected duration of approx. 53 days.

Aker Barents is a so-called 6th generation semi-submersible drilling facility constructed according to the H-6e concept for drilling operations at water depths up to 3000 metres and in Arctic regions.

The facility was delivered as a new construction during the summer of 2009, built by Aker Solutions at the Stord yard in Norway.

The facility is owned and operated by Aker Drilling, with main offices in Stavanger.

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Source:Ptil ,September 20, 2011; Image:Aker Drilling