Norwegian safety regulators have given state champ StatoilHydro clearance for environmentally sensitive drilling at the Ververis prospect 190 kilometres off the North Cape.

Transocean’s semi-submersible drill rig Polar Pioneer will drill well 7225/2-1 well almost at the very site where a fierce World War II naval battle engulfed the German, Canadian, British and Norwegian fleets.

The well, in 347 metres of water — typical for the area — will be spud over 50 days after the Tornerose prospect is drilled at the beginning of May 2008.

Norwegian state entity Petoro and BG Group fill out the parties to License 395.

As well as washing their drill cuttings and avoiding spills of hydraulic oil, Transocean’s anchor-handling standby ships will have to avoid possible wreckage from the battle of North Cape in 1943 which involved 41 merhant marine vessels and 43 warships. Undersea wrecks from the 1943 battle include the gigantic hulk of the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst.

Tags: StatoilHydro, Transocean Inc.