The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted a drilling permit to Total E&P Norge AS for well 1/5-5 in the North Sea, offshore Norway. The well, 1/5-5 will be drilled from the Maersk Gallant jack-up drilling rig.
The drilling program for well 1/5-5 applies to drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 618. Total E&P Norge AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 60 per cent. The licensees are GDF Suez E&P Norge AS and Petoro AS, both with 20% ownership interests. Production licence 618 was awarded in 2012 (APA 2011).
The production licence is located in the southern North Sea and borders on the UK shelf. The area in this licence consists of parts of the blocks 1/2, 3, 5, 6 and 9/10. The well will be drilled around 40 km northwest of the Ekofisk field. This is the first well to be drilled in the licence.