Statoil gets safety clearance to use ‘Deepsea Bergen’ in North Sea

Norwegian oil company Statoil has received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) to drill an exploration well off Norway, using the Deepsea Bergen drilling rig. 

The well, named 16/1-29 S, is located in production license 167 in the North Sea where Statoil is the operator.

Announcing its consent for the well on Wednesday, the offshore safety regulator informed that drilling is planned to start in February 2018.

Operation will last around 37 days, depending on whether a discovery is made, the PSA added.

Deepsea Bergen is a semi-submersible drilling rig of the Aker H-3.2 type, built at Aker Verdal in 1983. Owned and operated by Odfjell Drilling, the semi-sub is classified by DNV GL and registered in Norway.

Deepsea Bergen was issued with an Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) by the PSA in December 2001.

When it comes to the rig’s contract with the Norwegian oil company, Statoil last December exercised its first of four options in the Deepsea Bergen rig’s drilling contract.