By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 28 -- Statoil ASA has begun drilling the Cocuina-2X well on Block 4 of the Plataforma Deltana area off Venezuela.
The well is being drilled by Transocean Inc.'s Sovereign Explorer semisubmersible, which recently resumed operations after completing 3 months of required upgrades. The semi's operations had been temporarily suspended on the Ballena 1-X well, also on Block 4, due to mechanical failures and safety requirement concerns.
Statoil, operator of Block 4, plans to reenter the Ballena 1-X well upon completion of the Cocuina well. Ballena 1-X will be followed by the Orca-1X well, planned for 2007.
The Ballena well delays have affected Statoil's commitment to drill three wells in 4 years on the block, which was awarded in February 2003. Thus, the company applied for and was recently granted an 8-month extension of the exploration period by the Norwegian Ministry for Energy and Petroleum.
If the exploration period, comprising the $200 million 3-well program, is successful, it will be followed by an appraisal period, Statoil said.
