Statoil gets go-ahead to drill east of Grane field

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Statoil Petroleum AS a drilling permit for well 25/8-18 S, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Well 25/8-18 S will be drilled from the Ocean Vanguard drilling facility at position 59°15’1.12” north and 2°37’0.59” east of the Grane field in the central part of the North Sea.

The drilling programme for well 25/8-18 S relates to the drilling of an appraisal well in production licence 169. Statoil Petroleum AS is the operator with a 57 per cent ownership interest. The other licensees are Petoro AS with 30 per cent and ExxonMobil E&P Norway AS with 13 per cent.

The area in this licence consists of parts of blocks 25/8 and 25/11. The well will be drilled 0.7 kilometres southeast of wildcat well 25/8-4.

Production licence 169 was awarded on 1 March 1991 (supplement to the 13th Round). This is the 14th exploration well drilled within PL169.

The permit is contingent upon the licensee securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities before the drilling activity commences.