Aker BP picks up clearance for oil & gas drilling ops with Noble rig

Norwegian authorities have given the go-ahead for production drilling activities Norway’s oil and gas player Aker BP is planning to undertake in the North Sea on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), with a rig owned by Noble Corporation, a U.S.-headquartered energy giant.

The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has granted Aker BP consent to use the Noble Integrator jack-up rig for production drilling on Valhall Flanke Vest. The 2014-built rig, which can accommodate 150 people, is capable of working in a water depth of 492 feet. This jack-up’s maximum drilling depth is 40,000 feet.

The oil and gas operator contracted the rig under the frame agreement with Maersk Drilling in 2017 when the Aker BP Jack-up Alliance, encompassing Halliburton, was established. In December 2021, a deal to renew the frame agreement was disclosed.

The Noble Integrator rig won more work with the Norwegian player after the firm entered into drilling and wells alliance agreements in January 2023 with Noble Corporation, Odfjell Drilling, and Halliburton to undertake drilling activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Aker BP is the operator of Valhall Flank Vest with Pandion as partner. The operator has taken multiple steps to extend Valhall’s operation beyond 2028. Producing since 1982, the field is now entering a new era, which is expected to result in 40 more years of production.

The Norwegian player aims to produce a billion barrels over this course of time, which is also the amount produced since the field came online. To prolong the life of Valhall, the Valhall PWP-Fenris development entered construction stage in September 2023. Total investments in its development are estimated at $6.6 billion.