Det norske oljeselskap has sold its 15% stake in the Barents Sea Goliat field to StatoilHydro in a deal worth US $178m. Det norske said it has sold its interest in Goliat (PL 229, as well as PL 229B and PL 229C) to further strengthen the company’s financial position and improve its ability “to manage the responsibilities it plans to assume in own-operated licences in the years to come.”

Erik Haugane, CEO of Det norske, said: “We still have a strong belief in Goliat and deem this an advantageous project for the licensees and North Norway. We have participated actively in the planning of the future development and are confident that Eni, in co-operation with StatoilHydro, will succeed in developing this project further.

Operator Eni is currently in the midst of a design competition to nail down an offshore Floating Processing and Storage (FPSO) solution for the field. Sevan Marine and Aker Solutions are battling it out in the Goliat FPSO Design Competition FEED Phase.