Statoil will drill a well on the Stine prospect on the Danish continental shelf. Stine lies about seven kilometres east of the Statoil operated Siri field off Esbjerg.
According to technical consultant Albert Johnsen, oil has already been proven in the area. Statoil now wants to determine if the find is profitable enough to develop.
The drilling rig Noble George Sauvageau has been hired to drill the well. Drilling, which will start in the middle of May, is estimated to last 20 days.
If it is proven that the find is commercial, the plan is to drill a further well. This will be a production well on Siri or Stine, depending on the outcome of the initial well.
If it is commercial, the oil will be produced from the Siri platform.
Stine is in the same licence as Siri. The partners are Statoil (40 per cent), Dansk olie- og naturgas (20 per cent), Enterprise (20 per cent), Phillips (12.5 per cent) and Denerco (7.5 per cent).