OMV Norge Commences Exploration Drilling in Norwegian Sea

OMV Norge, a Norwegian subsidiary of Austria-headquartered oil and gas player OMV, has started drilling an exploration well in the Norwegian Sea using a semi-submersible rig managed by Odfjell Drilling.

As the operator of production license PL 1194, OMV Norge has initiated drilling of the Hoffmann exploration well (6606/4-1 S&A) in the Norwegian Sea. Situated near the Aasta Hansteen field in the northern part of the Norwegian Sea, the Hoffmann well is located at a water depth of 883 meters.

The drilling operation is being carried out by the Odfjell Drilling-managed Deepsea Bollsta. If a discovery is made, the drilling campaign could extend up to 105 days.

“This well follows up on last year’s Haydn gas discovery. The exploration campaign aligns with our strategy to increase the share of gas as a transition fuel in our production portfolio,” said Jone Hess, General Manager of OMV Norge.

OMV Norge AS holds a 40% working interest in PL 1194, with license partners INPEX, Idemitsu Norge, and Vår Energi each holding a 30% working interest. The Norwegian Ministry of Energy awarded the license in the 2022 APA licensing round.

Last August, the wildcat well 6605/6-1 S targeting the Haydn/Monn exploration prospects resulted in a gas discovery with estimated recoverable volumes between 30 and 140 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

The exploration campaign by OMV Norge marks a new chapter for the Deepsea Bollsta, as the rig returns to the Norwegian Continental Shelf after a 2.5-year ultra-deepwater campaign offshore Namibia. A two-year firm contract with Equinor awaits the rig in the future.

In October 2024, its owner, Northern Ocean, announced a short-term assignment for the rig with an undisclosed operator on the NCS.

The Deepsea Bollsta, a sixth-generation semi-submersible rig built in 2020, is of Moss CS60E design and can accommodate 140 people. Capable of operations in both benign and harsh environments at water depths of up to 3,000 meters, it is well-equipped for challenging drilling tasks in the Norwegian Sea.