STAVANGER, Norway, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Norwegian energy company Statoil said it made an oil discovery close to its controversial Gullfaks field in the North Sea.
Gro Gunleiksrud Haatvedt, a Statoil vice president in charge of exploration on the Norwegian continental shelf, said the latest find near the Gullfaks South field confirms exploration in the area is important.
"We regard the area around Gullfaks South to be prospective and the find confirms our faith in the area," Haatvedt said in a statement.
Statoil said it estimated the size of the discovery at 19 million-75 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalent.
Statoil is under fire for operations at the Gullfaks field. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway said in a 2010 report that planning and drilling operations at the oil and natural gas field were implemented with serious deficiencies.
The company announced Nov. 10 that it stopped production at the field to "double-check" that operations were proceeding according to the appropriate regulations.
Statoil in May reported that one of the wells at the field was at risk of a major blowout.
Statoil Executive Vice President Oystein Michelsen, said in a statement that his company was looking at ways to strengthen its safety record in the region.
"The safety of our colleagues and our suppliers on the Norwegian continental shelf is our highest priority," he said.
