Esgian Week 11 Report: New Discoveries in UK and Namibia
Esgian reports that drilling contracts have been announced this week for operations in Brazil and the Philippines, and new discoveries have been confirmed in the UK and Namibia in its Week 11 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.ContractsCOSL Drilling has emerged as the winner for Petrobras' moored semisubmersible tender with the 4,600-ft Nanhai 8 (also known as Nan Hai Ba Hao).Noble has secured a high-dayrate drillship contract with Prime Energy in the Philippines.Drilling Activity and…
Deteriorated Bollard Caused Drillship Breakaway and Collision
A deteriorated bollard led to a Valaris drillship breaking away and colliding with a bulk carrier in Pascagoula, Miss. last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.On March 12, 2022, the mobile offshore drilling unit Valaris DS-16 was in the process of being reactivated at the ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore Shipyard (STEHMO) when it broke away from the dock in strong winds, drifted across the Bayou Casotte channel and collided with the bulk carrier Akti.
United Offshore Support Expands into Mexico
Following a significant contract win in Brazil, United Offshore Support GmbH (UOS) announced the expansion of its Americas business into Mexico. The Germany-based company recently secured a contract with ENI Mexico, part of Eni S.p.A, to provide drilling support for the Valaris 8505 semisubmersible rig.The 2010-built UT786CD design anchor handler G.H. Atlantis will perform the five-month charter. The 200t bollard pull G.H. Atlantis has already arrived in Mexico and began operations in mid-May.“This is a very important strategic step into Mexico…
Keppel Bags $118mln Upgrading Contracts
Singapore's Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) has through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Keppel Shipyard Ltd (Keppel Shipyard) and Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS), secured integration and upgrading contracts worth a combined value of about S$160mln (USD 118mln).Chris Ong, CEO, Keppel O&M, said, "These contracts from repeat customers are testament to Keppel O&M's strong customer service in delivering on time, within budget and safely as well as our extensive track record in modification and upgrading projects for a wide variety of products such as FPSOs and drilling rigs."With strong engineering expertise and project management capabilities…
Solstad Farstad Secures Work for Six Vessels
Norwegian ship owner Solstad Farstad ASA said it has secured new contracts and contract extensions for six vessels.BP Egypt has declared the one-year option on the platform supply vessel (PSV) Sea Swift resulting in continuous utilization of the vessel through to August 2019.Equinor Brasil has extended present contracts for the PSVs Far Scotsman and Far Serenade with three months each to December 2018.In addition, SolstadFarstad secured ongoing charters in the Bass Strait, Australia, for the anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) Far Senator and Far Saracen and the PSV Sea Swan.
Subsea Construction Vessel Launched in Azerbaijan
The vessel was named Khankendi by the President of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev, at a ceremony in Baku Shipyard and launched by the Shah Deniz consortium. Baku Shipyard LLC, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC), has completed a Subsea Construction Vessel (SCV) for the Caspian region. The Khankendi will be deployed to the Shah Deniz field where it is expected to perform subsea installation and construction work over the next eleven years.
Shell Terminates Polar Pioneer Contract
Royal Dutch Shell has elected to terminate the contract for harsh environment semisubmersible rig Polar Pioneer prior to its expiration in July 2017, the rig's owner Transocean Ltd. announced. Transocean said it will be compensated for the early termination through a lump-sum payment that includes adjustments for reduced operating costs and demobilization to Norway. Shell initially intended to use the rig for its Arctic operations in the Chukchi Sea, but called off the campaign in September.
DNV-GL Approves Kongsberg Engine Room Simulators
Kongsberg Maritime has received DNV-GL certification for three of its latest engine room simulator models designed to provide in-depth training on the K-Sim Engine simulator platform. The DNV GL-ST-033:2014-08 Maritime Simulator Systems certification, which is based on the on the requirements of STCW Convention, Regulation I/12, was given to the DE88 Oil Rig, DE66 Drill Ship and M42 AHTS (Anchor Handling Tug & Supply) K-Sim Engine models in June 2015. Now commercially available to all K-Sim Engine users…
The History of Offshore Energy
Offshore exploration is a history of man v. Prospecting for oil is a dynamic art. From a lake in Ohio, to piers off the California coast in the early 1900s, to the salt marshes of Louisiana in the 1930s, to the first “out-of-sight- of-land” tower in 1947 in the Gulf of Mexico, the modern offshore petroleum industry has inched its way over the last roughly 75 years from 100 ft. of water ever farther into the briny deep, where the biggest platform today, Shell’s Perdido spar, sits in 8,000 ft. of water. As a planet, we have two unquenchable thirsts – for water and for oil.
Houlder Attracting Houston’s Offshore Engineering Talent
U.K.-based engineering group Houlder has launched a new venture to support clients headquartered in the United States following an increasing number of successful global projects for oil majors, operators and service providers. Houlder Americas Inc. opened its San Felipe Plaza doors earlier this year and is already undertaking work for a growing number of clients including Ensco and Schlumberger. Key to the business’s success is employing local engineers to work alongside the small team that has relocated from the U.K. led by Garry Kennie, Houlder Americas Inc. president.
TNG: Talleres Navales Del Golfo
Talleres Navales del Golfo (TNG) shipyard at Veracruz, Mexico was originally developed as a new construction facility, but the shipyard has successfully transferred to ship repair facility with an emphasis on steelwork repair contracts. As a result of recent success in repair operations, the shipyard is currently embarking on a major development and restructuring of the shipyard, with a view to rationalizing the facilities and expanding its repair capabilities. Despite recent economic turmoil…
Caterpillar Engines Developed for New Liftboat
Cat C280-16 generator sets with an increased power rating have been selected by Jurong Shipyard, to power West Rigel drill rig. The West Rigel is a semisubmersible drilling rig newbuild under construction for North Atlantic Drilling Limited, a subsidiary of Seadrill Limited. Eight C280-16 generator sets, each with rated power of 5,500 ekw (5,730 bkw @ 900 rpm), will be used as the main power for the semisubmersible rig, with two of the generator sets serving as emergency power as well. The C280 has a stellar reputation in the oil and gas industry as a trusted provider of power for decades. The new uprate provides a 12% increase in overall power.
China Shipyard Contracts For Wärtsilä DP3 Rig Package
Wärtsilä to provide integrated power, propulsion and positioning system for DP3 offshore accommodation rig for Singapore's Axis Offshore. The contract with Cosco (Qidong) Offshore is for the vessel to be equipped with a DP3 dynamic positioning system, and will feature an integrated Wärtsilä solution that includes the main power generation system, the propulsion system, the electric and automation system and the automation safety system. Wärtsilä is responsible for engineering, delivery and commissioning of the integrated solution and will also support the yard on-site during the installation phase. The vessel is expected to enter into service in February 2015 for worldwide operations. Wärtsilä will begin deliveries of its equipment in May 2013.
Keppel AmFELS Delivers Third Rig to Perforadora Central
Keppel AmFELS LLC, a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), has delivered the jackup rig, Papaloapan, to Mexico’s Perforadora Central SA de CV (Perforadora Central) on time, within budget and with a perfect safety record. The rig was christened at Keppel AmFELS’ yard in Brownsville, Texas by Lady Sponsor, Mrs. Gabriela Jiménez de Alvarez Morphy, wife of Mr. Luis Alvarez Morphy Camou, Director of Perforadora Central. Papaloapan is the the third jackup rig built by Keppel AmFELS for Perforadora Central and is based on the LeTourneau Super 116E design.
Deepwater Semi-submersible Rig Ordered by Diamond
A Diamond Offshore Drilling subsidiary contracts with Jurong Shipyard, Singapore for a moored semi-submersible rig. Total cost for the project is expected to be approximately US$ 370-million, including commissioning, spares and project management, but excluding capitalized interest. The rig, to be named the Ocean Apex, will be capable of operations in water depths up to 6,000 feet. Design specifications also include a variable deck load of 7,000 long tons, a maximum hook-load capacity of two million pounds, a 15K five-ram blowout preventer, crew quarters capacity for 140 personnel, and a deck area among the largest of any semisubmersible rig in the world.
Ultra-deepwater Semisubmersible Rig Delivered to Ensco
The rig is contracted to Anadarko for work in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico starting in December 2012. “The construction and successful commencement of the ENSCO 8500 Series distinguish Ensco from other offshore drillers,” said Dan Rabun, Chairman, President and CEO of Ensco plc. “We undertook this series in 2005 based on our reading of the market and of our customers’ needs, and time has proven us right on both counts. The series has been notable for its reliability and high uptime. The ENSCO 8500 Series rigs were the first to be recertified by regulators for work in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico following the Macondo incident, and achieved 97 percent utilization worldwide in 2011.
Keppel AmFELS Contracts with Diamond Offshore
Keppel AmFELS to Construct and Upgrade Deepwater Semisubmersible for Diamond Offshore for US$150 million. Keppel AmFELS LLC, a US wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), has secured a contract from Diamond Offshore to construct and upgrade a moored semisubmersible rig with delivery scheduled for 3Q 2013. The estimated shipyard contract price is approximately US$150 million. The rig, to be named Ocean Onyx, will be constructed from an existing hull from a Diamond Offshore cold stacked unit, which previously operated as the Ocean Voyager. Keppel AmFELS' scope of work on the Ocean Onyx includes the reconstruction of the rig…
Signal International Announces Semisubmersible Contract
Signal International has been awarded a contract for the repair and upgrade of the Transocean semisubmersible rig, HENRY GOODRICH. The project is slated to commence early December 2011 at Signal’s east yard facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for a seventy-day out-of-service time frame. The scope of work includes overall repairs, upgrades and refurbishments of the rig. In addition to the removal, renewal and replacement of major equipment; Signal will also be upgrading the crew accommodations, expanding the lifeboat capacity, and renewing the coatings and piping. With prefabrication work underway, the project will enable Signal to employ an additional 300 craft personnel at the yard during peak production.
Transocean Orders Third Jack-up Rig from Keppel FELS
Keppel FELS Limited has secured a repeat order from Transocean Offshore Deepwater Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Transocean Ltd., valued at $195 million. Following its order of two jack-up rigs from Keppel FELS on February 17, Transocean is exercising its option to build another high-specification jack-up rig based on the KFELS Super B Class Bigfoot design for delivery in 3Q2013. This rig is designed with larger spud cans, expanding its operational coverage to more places, especially areas where soft soil is predominant. Having larger spud cans enables the unit to operate efficiently while minimizing potential leg penetration problems in soft soil conditions.
Keppel Completes Saipem Ultra Deepwater Rig
Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS) is on track to deliver Scarabeo 9, a 6th generation ultra-deepwater semisubmersible drilling rig, to Saipem S.p.A (Saipem) on time and with no lost time incidents. A significant part of Keppel FELS' workscope on Scarabeo 9 involved the completion and commissioning of marine and drilling systems onboard. The rig was named by Lady Sponsor, Mrs Anna Tatka, spouse of Mr Pietro Franco Tali, CEO of Saipem. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tali said, "With Keppel's proven track record, we were confident of receiving a rig of the highest quality delivered on time and in a safe manner. The Frigstad D90 semisubmersible rig is equipped with a Dynamic Positioning 3 system and will be capable of operating in water depths of up to 3,600 meters.
Keppel Receives US$8 Million From QGOG For Early Delivery of Alpha Star
The DSSTM 38 ultra deepwater semisubmersible rig was delivered a record four months ahead of schedule. Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS) has delivered Alpha Star, the second of two DSSTM 38 semisubmersible rigs, to Brazil's Queiroz Galvão Óleo e Gás (QGOG) four months ahead of schedule and with zero lost time incidents. This continues Keppel FELS track record of delivering its rigs on time or ahead of schedule. It is the third early delivery this year, following the early delivery of the semisubmersible drilling tender…
Keppel Shipyard Nets Two Contracts Worth S$170 Million
Keppel Shipyard Limited (Keppel Shipyard), a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), has secured new contracts totalling S$170 million for two fast-track projects. The new jobs comprise completing a Pipe Laying Vessel for Saipem S.p.A (Saipem) and converting a Floating, Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel for Bumi Armada Berhad (Bumi Armada). Mr Nelson Yeo, Managing Director (Marine) of Keppel O&M, said, "This is a reflection of our customers' confidence…
Transocean Leader Awarded Three-Year Contract
Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN) announced that its high-specification semisubmersible rig Transocean Leader has been awarded a three-year contract by a subsidiary of Statoil ASA for operations in Norway. The contract, which has a one-year extension option, is expected to commence in direct continuation of the rig's current contract. Estimated contract revenues related to the three-year contract are approximately $427m. Estimated contract revenues represent the maximum amount of revenues that may be earned in the firm contract period, excluding revenues for mobilization, cost escalations, customer reimbursed equipment and miscellaneous adjustments.