Statoil has received consent to use the Transocean Polar Pioneer semisub for production drilling on the Troll field. The consent relates to sidetrack drilling, completion and plugging of well 31/2-M-14, which is part of production license 085.

The operation will start in December 2009 and has an estimated duration of up to 135 days.

The Transocean Polar Pioneer is a Sonat/Hitachi designed, semisubmersible drilling facility built in 1985. The semisub is owned and operated by Transocean Offshore. Upgrades were made to the rig during a stay at the yard in Ølen in the fall of 2004 in order to bring the rig into compliance with Statoil's technical requirements for operations on the Snøhvit field.

Polar Pioneer received the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway's Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) in May 2006.

Since then, the facility has carried out operations including the drilling of production wells for Snøhvit and several exploration wells for Statoil, Hydro and Eni in the Barents Sea.

Tags: Statoil