DNO Norge cleared to drill wildcat well in North Sea off Norway

DNO Norge, a subsidiary of Norwegian oil and gas operator DNO, has been granted a drilling permit for a wellbore in the North Sea by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate.

The permit concerns wellbore2/6-7 S in production license 1086. Noble Corporation’s Noble Invincible ultra-harsh environment jack-up rig was hired for the job in February. The 2014-built Gusto MSC CJ70 X150 MD rig was designed for year-round operations in the North Sea and can operate on onshore power. Its maximum drilling depth is 40,000 feet. According to the drilling contractor’s website, the rig is booked until Q4 2027.

DNO Norge recently purchased interests in five oil and gas fields in the Norne area of the Norwegian Sea from Vår Energi under a $51 million deal. According to DNO, this acquisition will create a new core area for the company, allowing it to hold interests in all producing and fields under development in the greater Norne area, including the Norne hub. 

Last year, the Norwegian firm made a new gas condensate discovery in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, which it dubbed “exciting” as the preliminary evaluation indicated gross recoverable resources in the range of 25-130 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) on a P90-P10 basis.

Considered a play-opener, the discovery is believed to have the potential to de-risk other exploration prospects in that area. Shortly after that, the Norwegian authorities confirmed the discovery, stating that the recoverable gas/condensate volumes of 2–21 million Sm3 were proven.