NPD Grants Wintershall Drilling Permit Offshore Norway

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Wintershall Norge AS a drilling permit for well 35/11-20 A, located in production license 248 F offshore Norway.

Well 35/11-20 A will be drilled from the Borgland Dolphin (midwater semisub) drilling facility after completing the drilling of wildcat well 16/5-6 for Tullow Oil Norge AS in production license 776. The well will be drilled about 62 miles southwest of Florø and about 12 miles northwest of the Fram field.

Wintershall Norge AS is the operator of PL 248 F with an ownership interest of 40 percent. The other licensees are Origo Exploration Norway AS (20 percent) and Petoro AS (40 percent). Production licence 248 was awarded on 4 June 1999. This is the second well to be drilled within the licence area.

The permit is contingent upon the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities before commencing drilling activities.