Norwegian authorities have signed off on exploration drilling activities Norway’s oil and gas player Vår Energi is planning to undertake in the Barents Sea, with a semi-submersible rig owned by COSL Drilling Europe, an offshore drilling player.
The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Vår Energi consent for exploration drilling in block 7121/9 in the Barents Sea. The firm will now be able to spud the well 7121/9-2, also known as the Blåmann prospect, in production license 1168.
The drilling of the well will be undertaken with the COSL Prospector drilling rig, which secured a two-year contract in September 2023, with three years of extension options for a maximum duration of five years.
The rig deal builds on the cooperation between Vår Energi and Equinor, enabling the duo to secure access to the rig for the 2024-2026 period. The Blåmann prospect is situated in a water depth of 2,211 meters.
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.