Aker BP cleared to use rigs on two North Sea projects

Norwegian E&P player Aker BP has received consents from the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) for the use of the Deepsea Stavanger and Maersk Invincible rigs for exploration drilling in the North Sea and development of Valhall Flank West, respectively.

The first consent is for the exploration drilling of the Liatårnet well, designated 25/2-20. It is located in the Aker BP-operated production license 442 in the North Sea.

The well will be drilled at a water depth of 110 meters in the so-called Noaka area. Noaka stands for “North of Alvheim, Krafla, and Askja,” a collection of discoveries east of Frigg in the central North Sea.

The PSA said on Friday that the drilling was scheduled to begin on June 26 and expected to last at least 12 days.

It will be drilled by the Deepsea Stavanger drilling rig after completing the drilling of wildcat well 15/6-16 S for Aker BP in production license 777.

According to the safety watchdog, the well will be drilled by the Deepsea Stavanger mobile drilling rig. The Deepsea Stavanger is a semi-submersible drilling rig of the GVA 7500 type, owned and operated by Odfjell Drilling.

It is worth reminding that the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate already granted a drilling permit for this well on Monday, June 17.

The second consent relates to the use of the Maersk Invincible jack-up drilling rig on the Valhall field and applies to the drilling of production wells on the Valhall Flank West development.

Valhall is a field in the southern part of the Norwegian sector in the North Sea. It was discovered in 1975, and the initial plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved in 1977, and production started in 1982.

A PDO for Valhall Flank West was approved in 2018. Valhall Flank West will be developed from a new Normally Unmanned Installation, tied back to the Valhall field center for processing and export.

The platform will be remotely operated from the Valhall field center. First oil is expected in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Offshore Energy Today Staff

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