An agreement to sell a 20 per cent holding in production licence 251 in the Møre Basin area of the Norwegian Sea has been concluded by Statoil with UK-owned gas company BG Norge.
The farm-out will leave the group with 70 per cent of the deepwater licence. Shell is the third licensee, holding 10 per cent.
“We’re currently drilling a wildcat in the Tulipan prospect in PL 251 with Eirik Raude,” reports project manager Thomas Ladsten in Exploration & Production Norway.
“The results of this exploration well are due to be available during the autumn.”
Located in block 6302/6, the well is being drilled in 1,260 metres of water a little to the west of the Ormen Lange gas field currently being developed by Norsk Hydro.
The PL 251 farm-out has been made to adjust Statoil’s exploration portfolio. Bringing in more partners spreads the risk and reduces the group’s exposure.