Eni is planning to spud a wildcat on its deepwater Bonna prospect in the Norwegian Barents Sea before mid-2013. DI hears the Italian major will use the semisubmersible drilling rig Scarabeo 8 to drill the 7016/2-1 well in a water depth of 1,370 m (4,495 ft). The prospect is located in PL 529 around 200 km offshore.

Eni has a 30% interest as operator, with Dong, OMV and Wintershall each holding 20% and Repsol 10%. The rig is the same unit that drilled the Salina wildcat for Eni in the Barents last year, and is also being used to drill development wells for the Italian on its Goliat field also offshore Norway.

Offshore