Business

Harbour Energy obtains go-ahead for North Sea drilling ops with Transocean rig

By Melisa Cavcic

Copyright offshore-energy

Harbour Energy obtains go-ahead for North Sea drilling ops with Transocean rig

Harbour Energy Norge, a subsidiary of London-listed oil and gas company Harbour Energy, has secured a permit to spud a wildcat well in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, which will be done with a semi-submersible rig owned by Transocean, an offshore drilling contractor.

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted Harbour Energy Norge a drilling permit for the wellbore 35/8-8 S in production licenses 248 LS/248 B, which the firm (60% stake) operates with its partner, Petoro (40% interest).

The drilling operations will be conducted with Transocean’s Transocean Norge rig, said to be the first semi-submersible rig that secured the Abate (Power+) notation for greenhouse gas abatement.

The semi-sub won a 17-well contract in Norway at day rates between $350,000 and $430,000 in September 2022 for the drilling of all firm and additional potential wells in the period 2023 to 2027.

Harbour Energy took steps to optimize its portfolio a few months ago by divesting its Vietnam business to EnQuest, enabling the other firm to acquire three producing oil and gas fields.