Equinor has obtained a drilling permit for operations in the Barents Sea on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, with the work to be carried out by the semi-submersible rig Transocean Enabler.

The approval applies to wellbore 7220/5-EC-2 H, which is part of production license 532. The license remains valid from 15 May 2009 until 15 May 2049.

Equinor holds a 46.3% operating interest in the license. Its partners, Vår Energi and Petoro, own 30% and 23.7%, respectively.

Drilling is scheduled to begin in April. Built in 2016, Transocean Enabler can accommodate up to 130 personnel and has been deployed on long-term assignments with Equinor.

The rig’s original contract, covering 19 wells with an option for eight additional wells, was valued at approximately $415 million in 2023. The firm portion accounted for $295 million.

The permit follows a recent oil discovery by Equinor in the Barents Sea, where operations were conducted using a semi-submersible rig owned by COSL Drilling Europe.