The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted a drilling permit to StatoilHydro ASA for wellbore 15/5-7 A, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Regulations.

Wellbore 15/5-7 A will be drilled from the drilling facility Transocean Winner at position 58°33’22.2" North and 01°39’19.3" East following the completion of the drilling of appraisal well 15/5-7 for StatoilHydro in production licence 048.

The drilling program for wellbore 15/5-7 A consists of the drilling of a sidetrack well in production licence 048. StatoilHydro is the operator with an ownership interest of 78.2 per cent, and Total is the other licensee with an ownership interest of 21.8 per cent. The area in this production licence consists of two parts of block 15/5. Block 15/5 lies just northwest of the Sleipner area in the North Sea.

Production licence 048 was awarded in the third licensing round on the Norwegian shelf in 1977. This is the fourth well to be drilled in this production licence.

The drilling permit is granted on the condition that all other permits and consents required by other authorities have been secured before the drilling activity commences.

Tags: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, StatoilHydro