Equinor gains consent to use Transocean rig for Gullfaks drilling

Norwegian oil major Equinor has received consent from the offshore safety body, the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA), for drilling of a top hole on the Gullfaks Satellites (GFS) off Norway, using the Transocean Spitsbergen drilling rig.

The PSA said on Tuesday that the work on the Gullfaks Satellites would begin on June 1, 2019.

According to the safety watchdog, the work is expected to last 20 days.

The PSA added that the objective of the activity was to drill top holes for wells 34/10-Q-2, 34/10-Q-3 GFS Rimfaksdalen.

The company received consent to use the Transocean Spitsbergen to make the wells ready for production drilling.

Equinor is the operator of the Gullfaks field with a 51% interest and its partners are Petoro (30%) and OMV (19%). Gullfaks lies in the Tampen area in the northern part of the North Sea. Water depth in the area is 130-220 meters.

As for the rig, the Transocean Spitsbergen is a semi-submersible mobile drilling rig of the Aker H-6e type, owned and operated by Transocean Offshore.

The rig was built at the Aker Stord yard in 2009, is registered in the Marshall Islands, and classified by DNV GL. It received the Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) in October 2012.

It is worth reminding that Equinor has recently received a drilling permit from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate on Monday, May 27, for the exploration well 16/5-7 in the North Sea, offshore Norway. The well will also be drilled using the Transocean Spitsbergen.

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