The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway said Tuesday that StatoilHydro has received consent to conduct exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea using the mobile facility Ocean Vanguard.
The consent applies to drilling of exploration well 6608/11-6 belonging to Production License 128.
The well is located about 17 kilometres northeast of Norne. The closest distance to the shore (Vega outside Bronnoysund in Nordland County) is 165 kilometres.
Ocean Vanguard (previously West Vanguard) is a drilling facility of the Bingo 3000 type, which was commissioned in 1982 at Trosvik Verksted.
It has undergone a number of upgrades.
The facility is classed in DnV and is operated by Diamond Offshore Netherlands BV. Ocean Vanguard received the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway's Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) on Jul. 2 2004.
According to the application for consent, drilling will start in mid-Jul. 2008. The activity has an expected duration of 34 days.