Det norske oljeselskap ASA was in 2010, the operator of nine wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. It confirmed Det norske as one of the main operators on the shelf.

NPD’s overview of exploration activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf show that there were 45 exploration wells spudded in 2010, of which 40 were completed.

Det norske and Statoil has drilled the most with nine exploration wells each as operator, see illustration below. This is in line with the expectations the NPD had for this years exploration, but lower than the number of exploration wells in 2009.

35 of the 45 wells have been spudded as exploration wells, while the remaining 10 are appraisal wells. 32 exploration wells have been drilled in the North Sea, 12 in the Norwegian Sea and one in the Barents Sea. In the completed wells it has been registered 16 discoveries of hydrocarbons. Ten of the discoveries made in the North and six in the Norwegian Sea. The exploration well spudded in the Barents Sea has not yet ended.

CEO Erik Haugane in Det norske says it's important that it is explored a lot on the Norwegian shelf to prevent stronger decline in production.

The exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf is still too defensive. Although Det norske drilled several dry wells and more than we thought and hopet for, over time our success rate is still relatively high. We know it is far between the major findings, and that it is generally harder to find oil and gas than before. This particularly applies to new areas in the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea. It is important that we still have a high level of exploration activity, both for us as a company and the future value creation in the Norwegian oil and gas industry.

See the results for the exploration wells in 2010