Oslo-listed Sevan, which aims to complete the study by the end of the year, is pursuing such studies on field development projects as a possible precursor to the award of a licence to use its cylindrical hull technology.

It said in a statement that OMV is “screening various floating alternatives” to develop the breakthrough find in the frontier Hoop area of the Barents Sea as the Austrian operator sets the ball rolling on preliminary work towards a possible field development.

OMV