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Statoil and Russia starts exploration drilling in Barents Sea

Rosneft's Igor Sechin and Statoil's Helge Lund during a meeting in Oslo in April.

Norway’s Statoil and Russia’s Rosneft has started exploration operations in the Norwegian secotr of the Barents Sea.

Location

Rosneft and Statoil on Tuesday started exploration drilling at the Pingvin prospect in the Barents Sea, Rosneft says in a press release.

The first exploration well Pingvin-1, located in the production license PL713,  is being drilled by the Transocean Spitsbergen rig.

RN Nordic Oil AS, a subsidiary of Rosneft, is partner in the project with Statoil as operator. Other partners are  North Energy ASA and Edison International Norway Branch. The companies expect to analyze the drilling results until the end of 2014.

“The start of this exploration operation marks an important milestone in developing the cooperation between Rosneft and Statoil. The companies plan to implement their experience of exploration and development of hydrocarbon fields in regions with harsh climate,” Rosneft said in the press release.