Statoil Do Drill In Barents Sea

Norwegian state-run oil giant Statoil will this weekend begin exploratory drilling in the Barents Sea, after the Department of the Environment has approved the company's application.

Permission to drill had been given by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, but environmental organizations Bellona and Youth for Nature appealed against the decision to the Department.

Exploratory drilling has never before been carried out this far east on the Norwegian Shelf.

Statoil is of the opinion that there is a 50 per cent chance of finding oil in the area.