The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Lundin Norway AS a drilling permit for well 16/1-31 A.
The well will be drilled from the Leiv Eiriksson drilling facility, owned and operated by Ocean Rig.
The drilling programme for well 16/1-31 A relates to drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 338. Lundin Norway AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 65 per cent. The other licensees are OMV (Norge) with 20 per cent and Wintershall Norge AS with 15 per cent.
The area in this licence consists of a part of block 16/1. The well will be drilled about four kilometres northeast of the Edvard Grieg facility in the central part of the North Sea.
Production licence 338 was awarded on 17 December 2004 (APA 2004). This is the 15th exploration well to be drilled in the licence.
The permit is contingent on the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities prior to commencing the drilling activity.