Statoil has as operator of production license 265, received the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway's consent for drilling two exploration wells on the prospects Aldous Major and Aldous North. Det norske has a 20 percent share in the license.

Det norske has expectations for the Aldous wells, as there is a chance that the prospects are an extension of Lundin's major discovery on Avaldsnes in 2010.

There have been several encouraging discoveries in this area in the North Sea.

In PL 265 a promising gas discovery at Ragnarrock was made 2009. In wellbore 16/2-4 Statoil discovered both oil and gas in the license, in 2007.

The wells 16/2-8 and 16/2-9S are two of four planned wells in the area in 2011, to define the discoveries in both PL 265 and Avaldsnes.

Expected start of the first well is in week 28. The second well will be drilled immediately after. The whole operation is expected to take around 75 days. The wells will be drilled by the semisubmersible drilling rig Transocean Leader.

Tags: Statoil