Wintershall Dea Norge, a subsidiary of Germany's oil and gas company Wintershall Dea, has secured a drilling permit from Norwegian authorities to spud a wildcat well in the Norwegian Sea. This drilling operation will employ one of Transocean's semi-submersible rigs.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) announced on September 22, 2023, that it had granted Wintershall Dea Norge a drilling permit for the well 6406/3-12 S in production license 836 S. This license was awarded on February 5, 2016, and remains valid until February 5, 2026. Wintershall Dea holds a 40% ownership interest and serves as the license operator, while Equinor and DNO Norge each hold a 30% stake in the license.

The exploration well, designated 6406/3-12 S, is scheduled for drilling in September 2023. Transocean's Norge rig will carry out this operation as part of a 17-well contract. This contract, which was secured in September 2022, features day rates ranging from $350,000 to $430,000. It was awarded following an exclusive partnership between Wintershall Dea, OMV, and Transocean, with the rig dedicated to drilling all firm and potential additional wells from 2023 to 2027.

The Transocean Norge rig, a sixth-generation Moss Maritime CS60 semi-submersible unit, was constructed at Jurong Shipyard in Singapore. It has the capacity to accommodate 150 personnel and can drill to a maximum depth of 40,000 feet. Notably, Transocean recently received a one-well extension from Wintershall Dea for this rig.