Spirit Energy, the new name for what was Centrica's exploration and production business, has been given permission by Norway's Petroleum Safety Authority to drill an appraisal well and a side track on the Fogelberg discovery in the Norwegian Sea using the Island Innovator semisubmersible drilling rig.
Wells 6506/9-4 and 6506/9-4 A will be drilled in production license 433, with an expected spud date in February.
The main purpose of the appraisal well is to reduce volume uncertainty and get a better understanding of the reservoir quality at the Fogelberg gas discovery.
Fogelberg is in the Haltenbanken area in the Norwegian Sea. It was discovered in 2010 following Centrica's first operated exploration well on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
The discovery is estimated to hold ca.60 MMboe and the current development concept is a subsea tie-in to the Statoil-operated Åsgard B platform. From there the processed gas will go to Kårstø via the Åsgard transport pipeline, Centrica said in an earier statement. "There will be available capacity in this pipeline from 2021, and if the project is sanctioned the current plan is for production to start at Fogelberg the same year."
Built in 2012, the Island Innovator is a Global Maritime GM4000 type, delivered by the COSCO Shipyard in China in 2012. It is owned by Island Drilling Company, operated by Odfjell Drilling, is Norwegian flagged and classified by DNV GL.
The rig agreement with Island Drilling also contains an option for two additional wells. Island Innovator is operated by Odfjell Drilling.