Aker BP granted drilling permit for wildcat east of Frigg field

STAVANGER -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Aker BP ASA a drilling permit for well 25/2-20, cf. Section 15 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Well 25/2-20 will be drilled from the Deepsea Stavanger drilling facility in position 59°52'27.05" N and 02°27'29.23" E after completing the drilling of wildcat well 15/6-16 S for Aker BP ASA in production license 777.

The drilling program for well 25/2-20 relates to the drilling of a wildcat well in production license 442. Aker BP ASA is the operator with an ownership interest of 90.26%. The other licensee is LOTOS Exploration and Production Norge AS (9.74%).

The area in this licence consists of parts of blocks 25/2 and 25/3. The well will be drilled about 20 km east of Frigg field.

Production license 442 was awarded on June 15, 2007 (APA 2006). This is the eighth exploration well to be drilled in the license.

The permit is contingent on the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities prior to commencing the drilling activity.