PGNiG has been granted a permit by the authorities to drill an appraisal of a wildcat at the Shrek prospect in the Norwegian Sea, indicating a possible discovery with the probe.

The Polish explorer will use semi-submersible Deepsea Nordkapp to sink the 6507/5-9A follow-up well in its operated production licence 838 where the Odfjell Drilling-owned rig is presently drilling the initial wildcat 6507/5-9S that spudded on 30 August and is due to be wrapped up shortly.

The ongoing probe at Shrek - the first exploration well to be sunk in the licence - is being drilled about 4.5 kilometres south-east of Aker BP’s Skarv field in which PGNiG is a 12% partner. It is also the first operated well to be drilled by PGNiG off Norway.

In an earlier statement, PGNiG said the well “will take approximately 45 days if hydrocarbons are discovered, in which case the company also plans to drill a sidetrack, collect the cores and carry out detailed geophysical measurements”.

The company holds a 40% operating stake in PL838, with partners Aker BP and Lime Petroleum each on 30% after the latter subsidiary of Singapore-based Rex International gained official approval for a farm-in deal both in this licence and adjoining PL838B.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Repsol has spudded the 9/2-12 wildcat at the Kathryn prospect in its operated PL910, near its under-development Yme field in the North Sea, using Saipem-owned semisub Scarabeo 8.

Exploration

PGNiG eyes Shrek appraisal