Norway’s oil and gas player Vår Energi has obtained a drilling permit for operations in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, which will be undertaken with a semi-submersible rig owned by COSL Drilling Europe, an offshore drilling contractor.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Vår Energi a drilling permit for the wellbore 25/8-24 S in production licence 1203, which is valid from March 15, 2024, until the same date in 2030.
Vår Energi is the operator of the licence with a 30% interest, with its partners, Equinor, DNO Norge, and Petoro, holding the remaining 30%, 20%, and 20% stakes, respectively.
These drilling activities will be carried out with COSL Drilling Europe’s COSL Pioneer rig. The drill bit at the 25/8-24 S well in the North Sea is expected to spin in August 2026.
Vår Energi recently exercised its third option for the rig, extending the semi-submersible’s contract well into 2028. The 2010-built rig is designed to operate in water depths up to 750 meters.