Under a NOK2.56bn ($330m) three-year contact, Odfjell Drilling will provide the Deepsea Atlantic semi-submersible rig for the project. The contract has six six-month options and the rig is slated for delivery in March 2016.
Statoil Johan Sverdrup field senior vice-president Øivind Reinertsen said: "The Deepsea Atlantic rig will drill minimum 13 pilot wells on the field prior to production start from Johan Sverdrup in late 2019.
"This enables us to utilize the production capacity from Johan Sverdrup as efficiently as possible."
Odfjell will also provide platform drilling services, including assistance during the engineering, construction and commissioning phase of the field development project, under a four-year contract.
The NOK1.85bn ($240m) contract has six one year options.
Drilling is planned to start during the fourth quarter of 2018 with support from Odfjell Drilling’s office in Stavanger, Norway.
The phase one of the Johan Sverdrup project includes installation, of an accommodation, a riser and process platform, and three seabed templates for water injection.
Partners in the project include Statoil, Lundin Norway, Petoro, Det norske oljeselskap and Maersk Oil.
