STAVANGER -- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Repsol Norge AS a drilling permit for well 6705/7-1, cf. Section 8 of the Resource Management Regulations.

Well 6705/7-1 will be drilled by the Transocean Spitsbergen drilling facility at position 67°15'5.14" north and 5°10'29.12" east, after completing the drilling of wildcat well 205/23-3a on the British side for Hurricane.

The drilling program for well 6705/7-1 relates to the drilling of a wildcat well in production licence 705. Repsol Norge AS is the operator with an ownership interest of 40%. The other licensees are DEA Norge AS with 30% and M Vest Energy AS with 30%. The area in this licence consists of blocks 6705/8 and 6705/9, in addition to parts of blocks 6705/7 and 6705/10. The well will be drilled about 330 km west of Bodø.

Production licence 705 was awarded on June 21, 2013 (22nd licensing round). This is the first well to be drilled in the licence area.

The permit is contingent upon the operator securing all other permits and consents required by other authorities prior to commencing the drilling activities.