Dong E&P Norge AS (Dong) has received consent from Petroleum Safety Authority Norway to carry out exploration drilling in the Barents Sea with the Aker Barents mobile facility.

The consent relates to drilling of exploration well 7121/9-1 which is part of production licence 518 with DONG E&P Norge AS as the operator (40%).

The other licensees are North Energy ASA (30%), Front Exploration AS (20%) and Sagex Petroleum Norge AS (10%).

The well is located approximately 90 kilometres northwest of Hammerfest.

The well has the following geographical coordinates:

N 71° 15' 13.97", E 21° 42' 41.86". Water depth at the site is 310 metres.

Drilling is scheduled to start in October 2011. The activity has an expected duration of approximately 53 days.

Aker Barents is a so-called 6th generation semi-submersible drilling facility constructed according to the H-6e concept for drilling operations at water depths up to 3000 metres and in Arctic regions.

The facility was delivered as a new construction during the summer of 2009, built by Aker Solutions at the Stord yard in Norway.

The facility is owned and operated by Aker Drilling, with main offices in Stavanger

Tags: DONG Energy, Petroleum Safety Authority