Norway: Statoil Gets Green Light to Conduct Exploration Drilling with Ocean Vanguard – Well 15/6-11 S

Statoil has received consent to conduct exploration drilling in the North Sea with the mobile facility Ocean Vanguard.

The consent relates to the drilling of exploration well 15/6-11 S, as well as an option to drill a sidetrack. The well is part of production licence 303 and is located approx. 17 kilometres north of Sleipner B.

The well has the following geographical coordinates:

N 58° 34′ 00.4″, E 01° 42′ 36.5″. The water depth at the site is 115 metres.

The plan is to begin the activity as soon as Ocean Vanguard completes the drilling of exploration well 25/5-7. The earliest start-up date is in early October 2010.

The operation has an estimated duration of 79 days, including testing.

Ocean Vanguard (formerly West Vanguard) is a Bingo 3000 semi-submersible third generation drilling facility, built in 1982. The facility is operated by Diamond Offshore Drilling Netherlands B.V.

The facility is registered in the Marshall Islands with Det Norske Veritas as classification company.

Ocean Vanguard received an Acknowledgment of Compliance (AOC) in July 2004

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Source: Ptil, August 30, 2010,