Norwegian Governmental supervisory authority, the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), has approved Norske Shell’s proposal to use the Transocean Barents facility to drill a well on the Draugen field.
Shell is set to drill a new production well, designated 6407/9-G-5 H, using the semi-submersible Transoceoan Barents mobile drilling facility of the Aker H-6e type.
Set to commence on 30 May 2015, drilling is expected to last for a period of 45 days.
Located around 150km north of Kristiansund, the Draugen is an oil field in the Norwegian Sea operated by Norske Shell with water depth of 289m.
In October 1993, production began on the on the field that has been developed using a fixed concrete facility with an integrated deck.
Subsea wells that are tied back to the Draugen facility are producing deposits in the surrounding area.
The free-standing subsea well has the geographical coordinates 64° 15′ 55.58″ N and 07° 43′ 42.75″ E.
The well, which will be connected to a subsea pipeline system leading to the Draugen facility, would be closed and monitored until the system is ready.
Built at Aker Kværner Stord in 2009, Transocean Barents is owned and operated by Transocean and was issued with an acknowledgement of compliance (AoC) by the PSA in October 2012.
Registered in the Marshall Islands, the facility is classified by DNV GL.