StatoilHydro eyes more Arctic operations

In this week’s Arctic Frontier conference in Tromsø, Norway, StatoilHydro representatives said that the company has spent several hundred million Norwegian kroner on the development of new Arctic technology and that major stress in put on the collection of information about Arctic challenges. The company also confirms that an Arctic drillship is under planning. The vessel will facilitate operations in complicated ice conditions further north in the Barents Sea, where the need for rapid change of positions is necessary. The vessel will also have a bigger storage capacity than a rig, E24.no reports. -We are prepared for new assignments in the north, Trude Sundset, company director on environment and climate says to the news site. –Ice and severe temperatures is an extra challenge, but we have knowledge which we can build on, she adds. There are no physical limitations with moving drilling activities further north, the company argues. Still, the company admits that environmental challenges are significant. –We are part of the problem, but also part of the solution, Ms. Sundset stresses.