Norway’s state-owned energy giant Equinor has obtained clearance from the Norwegian authorities for drilling activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), which will be undertaken with a semi-submersible rig owned by COSL Drilling Europe, an offshore drilling contractor.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Equinor a drilling permit for the wellbore 7220/7-5 in production license 532, which is valid from May 15, 2009, to the same date in 2049.
The license is operated by Equinor with a 46.3% interest, while its partners, Vår Energi and Petoro, hold the remaining 30% and 23.7% stakes, respectively.
This well will be drilled with the COSL Prospector rig in December 2025. The rig won a two-year contract in September 2023, with three years of extension options for a maximum duration of five years.
This deal builds on the cooperation between Vår Energi and Equinor, enabling the duo to secure access to the rig for the 2024-2026 period.
With a maximum drilling depth of 7,500 meters, the COSL Prospector rig is of GG5000 design and can operate in water depths up to 1,500 meters.