The Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) has authorized the oil and gas exploration company Tullow Oil to drill an exploration well in the North Sea with the Borgland Dolphin semi-sub.

The well 16/5-6 will be drilled in block 16/5 in the North Sea production licence 776, in a prospect called Rome.

It is located around 37 kilometres southeast of the Edvard Grieg field which is about 180 km west of Stavanger, Norway.

According to the safety authority, drilling is scheduled to begin in June at the earliest and estimated to last 30 days, depending on whether a discovery is made.

The Borgland Dolphin semi-submersible, built in 1977, is an Aker H-3 type rig which underwent an extensive upgrade in 1999 and received the Acknowledgement of Compliance (AoC) in September 2004.

PSA recently found safety flaws related to loose equipment and fire stations, among others, aboard the Fred. Olsen-owned drilling rig.

Dolphing Drilling, the operator of the rig, and Wintershall were given a deadline of August 20 to report on how the non-conformities will be dealt with.