Equinor cleared to drill wildcat near Troll

Equinor has secured approval to drill a wildcat in the Norwegian North Sea some 28 km southeast of its giant Troll gas field, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) reported on August 8.

It is the first well to be drilled at licence 921, which the state-owned producer operates with a 50% stake. Its partners are Norway’s Petoro – representing the state's direct financial interest – and DNO, with 20% and 15% respectively, and Sweden’s Lundin Petroleum with 15%.

The probe will be spudded using the West Hercules semi-submersible, which recently struck oil at an Equinor licence in the Barents Sea.