BG Norge AS has received consent to use the mobile facility West Alpha for drilling of wells 15/12-E1H and 6/3-A1H in the southern part of the North Sea.
The wells (the Gaupe field) belong to production licence 292 and are located approx. 240 kilometres southwest of Stavanger, near the UK shelf border. The water depth at the site is approx. 85 metres.
The drilling is scheduled to start in March 2011. The estimated duration of the operation for the two wells is 69 and 71 days respectively.
Gaupe is a pure subsea development tied in to the Armada facility in the UK sector.
The scheduled start-up of operations on the field is in the 4th quarter of 2011.
West Alpha (pictured) is a ”Dyvi Drilling Ultra Yatzy” type semi-submersible mobile drilling facility, built in 1986.
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Source:Ptil, February 21, 2011; Image: Seadrill