en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Norwegian Offshore Directorate has granted Vår Energi two drilling permits, for Production License 636 in the North Sea and Production License 1002 in the Norwegian Sea. Both exploration wells are planned to be drilled by the semi-submersible drilling rig COSLProspector.

For Production License 636 in the North Sea, Vår Energi is the operator with a 30% interest, with partners including INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS (30%), ORLEN Upstream Norway AS (30%), and DNO Norge AS (10%). The planned well is 36/7-6 S. Drilling is expected to commence in September 2026, in the area around the Gjøa platform, where Vår Energi has previously made several discoveries.

The other drilling permit covers well 6407/5-3 S in Production License 1002 in the Norwegian Sea. Vår Energi holds a 42.3% interest in this license and is the operator, with partner Equinor holding the remaining 57.7% interest. This well is expected to spud in July 2026 and will also be drilled by the COSLProspector.

The COSLProspector was built by Yantai CIMC Raffles in 2014, with a maximum operating water depth of 1,500 meters and a maximum drilling depth of 7,500 meters, designed specifically for harsh environments such as the North Sea and Norwegian Sea.

Vår Energi is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, with a portfolio covering multiple areas in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Barents Sea. Both drilling permits obtained this time are located near the company's existing infrastructure, which helps leverage existing platform and pipeline resources to reduce development costs. Data from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate shows that exploration activity on the Norwegian Continental Shelf has remained active in recent years, with the number of exploration wells completed in 2025 roughly on par with previous years, and several new blocks have been included in the licensing plan for the next three years.