North Sea Oil & Gas News

[ombugge]

A bit further north:

Oilmen step up Arctic drilling south of the ice edge

Despite its commitment to cut climate gas emissions and reduce hydrocarbon dependence, Norway continues to expand exploration in the Barents Sea.
In early March, drilling rig Transocean Enabler made its way into Arctic waters towards a drill site located about 200 km north of the Norwegian mainland.
The operation is part of Equinor’s exploration of licence area 1080. A drilling permit was in February this year issued by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate. Drilling is due to take place in April.

Transocean%20Enabler.pdf

Ice situation in the northern part of the Barents Sea is variable:

Sea-ice frequency in the Barents Sea in April in the period 1993-2024. Map by the Norwegian Polar Institute

According to Signe Aaboe, a geophysical scientist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, there is a generally negative trend in the extension of the sea-ice, but variations are significant.
“Although the long-term trend is clearly negative irrespectively of the season, there are big variations of the trend,” she says in a comment to the Barents Observer.

In March-April 2020 there was exceptionally much sea-ice in the region, while it was exceptionally little in for example January-February 2023, she explains:

Sea-ice around Bear Island in year 2020. Photo: The Norwegian Coast Guard on X

Vår Energi (ENI) is also active in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea:

Vår Energi and Equinor last year joined efforts in a new drilling program in the Barents Sea. The companies will together hire Chinese rig COSL Prospector for a two-year period. Cooperation with the Chinese might ultimately be expanded until 2029.

COSL Drilling Rig Heads to Norway for Repairs

COSL Prospector rig leaving Las Palmas; Source: Canarship

https://www.cosl.no/coslprospector