Stena's Newest Is Sent Off To Shell International

Stena's newest drilling rig, Stena Tay, managed by Stena Drilling of Aberdeen, has been delivered from the Keppel FELS shipyard in Singapore, for acceptance on contract by Shell International. Contracted by Shell for a primary period of 10 years, the rig will generate long term revenues in excess of $700 million over the contract's term. The rig was mobilized last May to drill the first well under the contract. With a displacement of 46,000 tons, the dynamically-positioned, deepwater semi-submersible rig is equipped to drill in water depths to 7,500 ft. (2,300 m) and wells up to 30,000 ft. (9,144 m). In order to meet the challenging demands of deep water drilling, the unit is equipped with a powerful hydraulic top drive, three 2,200 hp mud pumps and the latest in mud treatment systems to protect the environment. The rig also houses a myriad of new technology, significantly a Hydralift cylinder hoisting drilling package. Replacing the conventional drawworks, blockline, crown block and traveling block are three hydraulic pistons with a total capacity of 750 tons hoisting a sheave arrangement. Six hoisting wires attached to an adapter link are then strung over these sheaves and the hydraulic topdrive is suspended below the adapter link. Stena Tay joins the company's existing fleet of three existing semi-submersible drilling vessels - Dee, Spey and Clyde, all of which are performing successfully on medium- to long-term international and U.K. contracts.