Harbour Energy Gets Drilling Permit for CCS Exploration off Norway
March 18, 2025
Harbour Energy has secured a permit to drill a well in the Norwegian Sea, which is part of carbon storage exploration license at Havstjerne development.
The permit, awarded by Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), is for wellbore 9/6-1 in production license EXL006, which is operated by Harbour Energy with 60% working interest, and Stella Maris CCS as its partner, holding the remaining 40% stake.
The drilling operation will be conducted with Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Nordkapp semi-submersible rig.
The EXL006, also known as Havstjerne development, was awarded in May 2023 and is located in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea, approximately 100 km southeast of Egersund, offering an attractive sailing distance to ports located in Northern Europe.
The license work commitments include drilling of an exploration well in the first quarter of 2025, which will be followed by concept selection for the development of the saline aquifer storage reservoir, targeted for 2025, according to Harbour Energy.
Thereafter, a field development plan would need to be submitted to the Norwegian Ministry of Energy, together with an application for an exploitation license.
Appraisal of the Havstjerne development concepts include evaluation for CO2 ship-based transport to an offshore injection unit and is targeting an injection rate of five mtpa of CO2.
