Norwegian safety regulator has given its consent to Statoil for exploration drilling operations in the Barents Sea. Statoil intends to use the Aker Barents drilling rig.
The approval relates to the drilling of exploration well 7220/7-1 which is part of production licence 532. The well is located some 200 km from the closest point on land, which is Ingøya in Finnmark. Water depth at the site is approx. 367 metres.
Drilling is expected to begin the first half of December 2011. The activity has an expected duration of approx. 57 days.
Aker Barents is a type H-6e so-called 6th generation semi-submersible drilling facility. The facility can drill at water depths up to 3000 metres and in Arctic regions.
The facility was delivered as a new construction during the summer of 2009 and was built by Aker Solutions at the Stord yard in Norway.
[mappress] Offshore Energy Today Staff , November 18, 2011;Image: Aker Drilling