By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 19 -- Statoil ASA and Norsk Hydro ASA have signed a $44.25 million contract with Stavanger-based Ocean Rig ASA for the drilling of three exploration wells in the Barents Sea, plus the option to drill a well for Norsk Hydro in the North Sea prior to the Barents Sea program.
The Barents Sea drilling program is slated to start between Oct. 1 and yearend and is expected to last 135 days, Ocean Rig said.
Ocean Rig said it has the option to use one of its fifth generation semisubmersible drilling units—Leiv Eiriksson or Eirik Raude.
The contract value includes $5.25 million to add four anchors to upgrade the selected unit to a full 8-point anchoring system and a $7.5 million mobilization fee.
Statoil will be operator for two of the wells, with one being drilled in Production Licence 202 or in Seismic Area F, and the other in Seismic Area G. Hydro plans a well in Seismic Area C.
The partners said they hope to find both gas and oil in the Barents Sea. Gas resources, if found, can be piped to the liquefaction plant under construction at Melkøya outside Hammerfest, Statoil said.
