LONDON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Britain's energy ministry on Friday gave the go-ahead for Statoil to drill the Mariner heavy oil field in the North Sea.

'Mariner will be one of the biggest projects ever in the North Sea and the 4.6 billion pound commitment over 40 years from Statoil is a vote of confidence in the future of UK oil and gas,' Britain's Energy Secretary Edward Davey said in a statement.

At its peak, the Mariner field is expected to produce around 55,000 barrels of oil per day, 5 percent of Britain's daily production.

(Reporting by Karolin Schaps; Editing by Alison Birrane) Keywords: BRITAIN STATOIL/MARINER

(karolin.schaps@thomsonreuters.com)(+44)(0)(207 542 6622)(Reuters Messaging: karolin.schaps.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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