Statoil gets go-ahead to use COSL Pioneer at Visund Nord

Statoil will use the COSLPioneer semi-submersible drilling rig to drill and complete the wells 34/8-C-2 H and 34/8-C-2 AH at Visund Nord field, in the North Sea, offshore Norway.

According to a statement by Petroleum Safety Authority Norway, the activity is expected to start in August. It will take four months for the operations to be completed.

Visund is an oil field located east of the Snorre field in the northern sector of the North Sea. Water depth is around 335 metres.

COSL Pioneer is a semi-submersible drilling rig of the GM4000 design. It was built at Yantai Raffles Shipyard, China in 2010. The rig is owned and operated by COSL Drilling Europe.

COSL Pioneer received Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) from the PSA on 17 June 2011. By issuing the AoC, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway expresses confidence that the drilling rig is considered to be in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements for petroleum activities.