
The Transocean Spitsbergen drilling rig. (Photo: Kenneth Engelsvold)
Statoil is thus permitted to conduct the drilling operation as planned, including drilling in oil-bearing layers. The exploration activity now has all the authority approvals needed to start up.
The Apollo prospect is located in the Barents Sea, where more than 100 exploration wells have been drilled over the last 34 years. This is an area Statoil knows well; its geology is familiar, it has low pressure and temperature, and the company participated in an exploration well 50 kilometres further south (the Wisting well) just last year.
Greenpeace has been obstructing Statoilâs activities since Tuesday 27 May. The Transocean Spitsbergen rig was on its way to the drilling location when activists from Greenpeace boarded the rig.
Norwegian police ordered the activists to conclude their action on Wednesday, and when several activists refused to leave the rig, they were picked up by the police with assistance from the emergency response unit.
However, Greenpeace has persisted, placing one of their boats at the drilling location, where Norwegian authorities have established a temporary safety zone so that the rig can get access to the location.

Irene Rummelhoff, senior vice president for exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The Norwegian Coast Guard took control of the Greenpeace ship Esperanza and transported it out of the area late in the evening of 30 May. The Transocean Spitsbergen rig is now established at the drilling location in the safety zone and is preparing to start operations.

The exploration will take place about 300 kilometres from the mainland and 170 kilometres from the island of Bjørnøya.
âOur top priority is to have safe operations without any harm to people or the environment. Delayed exploration activities come at a cost, however, which we estimate to be at a level of NOK 7.5 million per day. In addition there are the costs to society,â says Rummelhoff.
The exploration activities in the Barents Sea are part of Statoilâs strategy to find oil and gas resources that will meet the worldâs growing need for energy and also benefit the Norwegian society.