The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Norwegian Energy Company (Noreco) ASA a drilling permit for wellbore 25/9-3, ref. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Wellbore 25/9-3 will be drilled from the West Alpha drilling facility at position 59° 26’ 05.03” North and 02° 40’ 42.88” East after the facility finishes drilling wildcat well 6407/8-5 A for StatoilHydro Petroleum AS in production licence 348.

The drilling program for wellbore 25/9-3 relates to the drilling of wildcat wells in production licence 412. Noreco is the operator with a 40 per cent ownership interest, while the other licensees are Lundin and VNG, each with a 30 per cent stake. The area in this production licence consists of parts of blocks 25/5, 25/6, 25/8 and 25/9. Well 25/9-3 will be drilled about 15 km east of the Jotun field in the central part of the North Sea.

Production licence 412 was awarded on 16 February 2007 (APA2006). This is the first well to be drilled in the production licence. The permit is conditional upon the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities before the drilling activity commences.

Tags: Norwegian Energy Company ASA, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate