The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Aker BP a drilling permit for two wells located in the Norwegian Sea.

According to the NPD's statement on Wednesday, the two wells – 6607/12-4 and 6607/12-4 A – will be drilled from the Odfjell Drilling-owned Deepsea Nordkapp semi-submersible drilling rig.

The Deepsea Nordkapp rig is under a two-year firm contract with Aker BP, which is scheduled to expire in May 2021.

Aker BP also last December exercised its first one-year option under the rig's contract.

The drilling program for well 6607/12-4 relates to the drilling of a wildcat well and appraisal well 6607/12-4 A in production licence 127 C.

Aker BP is the operator of the licence with an ownership interest of 88.0825 per cent and the other licensee is PGNiG Upstream Norway with the remaining 11.9175 per cent.

The area in this licence consists of part of block 6607/12. The well will be drilled about 7 kilometres northeast of the 6607/12-2 S Alve Nord discovery.

Production licence 127 C was carved out from production licence 127 on 27 March 2017 and this is the first well to be drilled in the licence.