Europe's independent oil and gas exploration and production company Lundin Norway will drill and test a new exploration well in the Barents Sea, following approval by the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA).
"Lundin is the operator for production licence 767. We have now given the company consent for exploration drilling and testing of well 7121/1-2 S," said a statement from the Norwegian governmental supervisory authority.
The well is in the Barents Sea, in the centre of Troms I, approx. 121 kilometres from land (Bondøya north of Sørøya). Water depth at the site is 315 metres.
The operation is scheduled to begin in December 2018, with a duration of 52 days, it said.
The well is to be drilled by Leiv Eiriksson, which is a semi-submersible drilling facility of the SS Trosvik Bingo 9000 type, owned and operated by Ocean Rig. Leiv Eiriksson was issued with an Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) by the PSA in July 2008.