Polish PGNiG starts its 1st drilling as operator in Norwegian Sea

Warsaw, August 30 - Neftegaz.RU. PGNiG Upstream Norway started drilling an exploration well in licence area PL838 (the Shrek prospect) on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, for the 1st time in the role of the operator.

It is the 1st exploration well in this licence area, located in the vicinity of the Skarv oil and gas field, in which PGNiG holds a 12% interest.

‘The main objective of our operations in Norway is to scale up our own production of gas in the region. Now we also have the opportunity to develop our competences and expertise as an operator, which proves the trust our Norwegian partners place in PGNiG,’ said Piotr Woźniak, President of PGNiG.

The sea at the location of the well is 358 m deep. The Shrek prospect is located at a depth of approximately 2,300 m from the seabed.

The well is drilled using Deepsea Nordkapp, a 6th generation semi-submersible rig, one of the most advanced rigs capable of work in extreme offshore conditions. Almost all drilling operations on the rig are computer-controlled.

‘Preparatory procedures for the drilling of an offshore well were extremely complex and different from what we do when drilling onshore wells, as they require much more effort in terms of planning itself,’ said Piotr Woźniak.

PGNiG Upstream Norway holds interests in 24 exploration and production licences on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. In accordance with its stated strategy, PGNiG aims to increase gas production in Norway to 2.5 bcm annually after 2022.