Spain's Repsol has cleared a hurdle to drill the Stordal prospect in the Norwegian Sea using Transocean's semisubmersible drilling rig Transocean Spitsbergen.
The Petroleum Safety Authority has given the firm permission to drill the Stordal well 6705/7-1 in 1410m water depth, about 395km west of Bodø.
Drilling, already approved by the Ministry of Petrolum, is due to start in early March and to last 33 days, or 48 days if a discovery is made.
The license is close to Statoil's Aasta Hansteen development, into which a discovery could be tied back. Repsol holds 40% in PL705, with partners DEA Norge (30%) and M Vest Energy (30%). M Vest Energy had bought its stake from Atlantic Petroleum, which had named the license Napoleon North.
It is the first well to be drilled in the license area.