Energy companies active in the Falkland Islands have leased a rig for their 2015 drilling programme, paving the way for oil and gas exploration to continue next year in the region contested by Britain and Argentina.
London-listed Premier Oil said it had contracted the rig to drill a minimum of four wells in the North Falkland Basin with partner Rockhopper.Cyprus-based Ocean Rig UDW said it had signed a leasing contract for its Eirik Raude drilling rig to be deployed in waters off the Falklands for around 260 days.
Premier Oil is sharing the rig with Noble Energy, which will deploy the equipment to drill another two wells elsewhere in the South Atlantic archipelago.