Drilling News

ARO Drilling, a 50/50 joint venture between Rowan Companies plc and the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), commenced operations on October 17, 2017. As part of the initial startup of ARO Drilling, Rowan and Saudi Aramco contributed equal amounts of cash into the joint venture. Following these contributions, Rowan sold three of its jack-up drilling rigs to ARO Drilling, including the J.P. Bussell, which was previously idle, and Saudi Aramco sold one of its jack-up drilling rigs to ARO Drilling. Following the purchase of these drilling rigs, ARO Drilling distributed excess cash in the amount of approximately $88 million to each of Rowan and Saudi Aramco maintaining each party's 50% ownership interests in the joint venture.

Mitsui O.S.K Lines (MOL) has announced that it conducted a tabletop drill based on an incident involving a car carrier managed by an MOL Group ship management company. MOL holds these drills periodically to confirm its emergency response system in preparation for serious marine incidents. The drill was held on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, with the goal of raising company-wide safety awareness through the simulated experience of a serious marine incident. It was designed to ensure that the company can respond swiftly and appropriately in case of a serious marine incident…

Maersk Drilling has been awarded two contract extensions in the North Sea. Both rigs have recently been re-activated to the North Sea from warm stacking. The estimated duration of the two extensions is 105 days. The high efficiency jack-up Maersk Resolve has been awarded a contract extension by Wintershall Noordzee B.V. for the drilling of a third well in the ongoing drilling campaign in the North Sea. The drilling of the third well will take place in the Dutch Sector and the work scope includes drilling as well as potential testing and completion activities.

Ocean Rig UDW Inc., an international contractor of offshore deepwater drilling services, has announced that pursuant to an order of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands Simon Appell of AlixPartners Services UK LLP and Eleanor Fisher of Kalo (Cayman) (formerly AlixPartners) have been discharged as joint provisional liquidators of the Company and its subsidiaries. The subsidiariesare Drill Rigs Holdings Inc. (DRH), Drillships Financing Holding Inc. (DFH), and Drillships Ocean Ventures Inc., (DOV) and together with UDW, DRH and DFH, the Scheme Companies.

Transocean announced that the ultra-deepwater drillship Deepwater Invictus was awarded a two-year contract plus three one-year priced options with a subsidiary of BHP Billiton. The backlog associated with the firm contract is approximately $106 million. The contract is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2018. “We are extremely pleased to continue working with BHP,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Thigpen. “Since we welcomed the Invictus into our fleet in 2014…

A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the Ronald Reagan, is conducting drills with a Japanese warship in waters around Okinawa southwest of the Korean peninsula, Japan's military said on Wednesday. The exercise comes amid heightened tension with North Korea as the U.S. holds air drills in the region with B1-B bombers flown from Guam. The exercise with the Reagan strike group, which began on Saturday, involves vessels sailing from the Bashi Channel, which separates the Philippines and Taiwan…

Demand for offshore rig rental globally is starting to recover from its worst ever downturn, led by oil firms' growing demand for harsh-environment exploration and triggering multi-billion dollar tie-ups among drillers hoping to profit, executives said. While the 2014-2016 oil price crash caused firms to cut exploration budgets, ending a boom in rig demand and bankrupting many owners, energy companies are now seeking to replenish their hydrocarbon reserves. The nascent demand for harsh-environment rigs…

Task Force 70 Public Affairs (NNS) - The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group arrived in Busan for a port visit, Oct. 21. The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) with embarked staff of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 staff and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, and the guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Chafee (DDG 90) pulled into Busan after participating in Maritime Counter Special Operations Force Exercise (MCSOFEX) 2017. The focus of the bilateral training exercise was to increase the readiness of U.S.

International classification society Bureau Veritas has extended its classification rules to include the items of drilling equipment which are essential for the safety of offshore drilling operations. These rules cover well control equipment including Blow-Out Preventers, marine risers, tensioning systems, heave-compensation systems, drawworks, mud circulating systems, cementing equipment, drilling derrick and supporting structures. Offshore drilling operators can turn to one body to assess the entire drilling unit and equipment under one integrated approach.

COSCO (Nantong) Shipyard Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of  COSCO Shipyard Group Co. Ltd., has secured a contract with SEADRILL to construct a self erecting tender drilling rig T18 valued at USD 75 million, excluding owner furnished drilling equipment. The new drilling rig, T18, when completed, will be equipped with enhanced drilling capabilities allowing for higher drilling efficiency including the advantage of a light weight drilling equipment set. The rig is capable to drill at 6,500 feet and a drilling depth capacity of 20,000 feet. SEADRILL has now exercised the last of the options awarded by COSCO. SEADRILL was awarded altogether two options (over T17 and T18) in February 2011 when T15 and T16 were contracted. The option over T17 was exercised in April 2011, as announced on 13 April 2011.

ExxonMobil has awarded to Pason Systems, Inc. the first global license of its patented Drilling Advisory System, a key component of the company’s Fast Drill technology suite. The licensing agreement accelerates the technology’s commercialization by combining Pason’s expertise in drilling data and ExxonMobil’s experience in drilling surveillance and optimization. Fast Drill combines high-end modeling of drilling physics with structured well planning and design to identify limiters and maximize performance.

Employed in the oil and gas industry for 60 years, simple and sturdy swamp and posted drilling barges have been a preferred method to drill in shallow water. This basic design has made it possible for the barge to drill in water depths from six through 24 ft., as well as the ability to be towed and to travel the Intercoastal waterway, lakes, bays and bayous. With the average drilling depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico ranging between 12,000 and 18,000 ft. in shallow water depths, the standard drilling equipment was designed to accommodate drilling depths to 25,000 feet. The new proposed drilling depth is 40,000 ft., which far exceeds the design of standard swamp and posted drilling barges. However, there is a solution. The Super Barge, patented by Herman J.

Parker Drilling Co. has received the newest member of the Parker international drilling fleet, drilling barge rig #75. Built by Oil Barges, Inc., the shallow water drilling rig will commence drilling operations in mid-August. The rig has a 25,000 ft., drilling depth rating with an SCR drive system. All drilling and mud processing equipment is installed on a multi-level barge measuring 240 ft. long and 70 ft. wide. The barge also includes an 82-person accommodation facility. Other innovative design features include a draft of less than 8.5 ft., permiting reduced dredging costs; a 50 ft. (clear height) substructure, permitting simultaneous drilling and workover operations…

Smedvig has signed an agreement with Norsk Hydro to extend the drilling contract for the semi-submersible drilling rig West Venture. The extension of the drilling contract has a firm duration of two years and in addition, annual renewal options for five more years. The estimated contract value for the firm period is US$ 150 million (approximately NOK 1 billion) and includes an incentive scheme related to drilling performance. West Venture is equipped with a dual derrick set allowing for enhanced drilling efficiency. The dual drilling system is especially advantageous in completion of subsea production wells. West Venture has operated…

An effort to open Virginia's coast to offshore drilling gained new momentum in Congress when Virginia's senators introduced legislation giving states the option to drill for natural gas. The bill would give governors of coastal states the power to opt out of a federal moratorium that prohibits offshore drilling in most U.S. coastal waters. The new legislation comes one week after the Bush administration signaled its support for such proposals by calling for a study of potential gas and oil development in Virginia waters. Unlike other recent drilling bills, however, the new legislation is limited to natural gas drilling - thereby keeping in place a federal ban on offshore drilling for oil.

Crosco Integrated Drilling & Well Services Co., Ltd. announced the commencement of drilling services for Thyna Petroleum Services (TPS). Drilling services are being provided with Crosco's 1000 HP drilling rig Ideco-301 (Ideco H 44 ED) that has been set up on a barge (pontoon) to drill offshore. The first well of the drilling program (well Cercina 15) is currently being drilled on the offshore Cercina concession near the island of Kerhennah in Tunisia. Crosco's Area Manager, Predrag Cindric, said: Crosco currently has two drilling rigs providing services in Tunisia. Since 1988, in the Tunisian market, Crosco has been providing onshore and offshore drilling and well services and has provided services for nine international operators.

AGR Petroleum Services today signed a drilling contract, on behalf of Hyperdynamics Corporation (NYSE Amex: HDY), with Jasper Drilling Private Limited of Singapore to contract the drill ship Jasper Explorer for drilling in Hyperdynamics' concession offshore the Republic of Guinea. The Jasper Explorer is a modern Pelican Class self-propelled drill ship capable of operating in water depths up to 5,000 feet. "The conclusion of a drilling contract with Jasper Drilling Private Limited is a crucial step in preparations for our drilling campaign.

Ocean Rig UDW Inc., a global provider of offshore deepwater drilling services, signs contract with an oil major for the semi-submersible drilling rig 'Erik Raude'. The drilling contract is for a one-well program, with an estimated duration of up to 6 months, for drilling offshore Ireland, with an estimated backlog of approximately US$112 million, including mobilization and demobilization. The rig is scheduled to commence this contract in the second quarter of 2013, in direct continuation from its previous contract in West Africa.

Mærsk's oil drilling subsidiary is investing heavily in Arctic-ready drilling rigs, a move that is concerning environmental organisations. According to 'The Copenhagen Post' Maersk Drilling is going to be a key player in opening the Arctic to oil exploration by developing rigs that can drill for oil year-round under extreme conditions. Maersk Drilling belongs to the A.P. Moller Maersk group which also has an oil company, Maersk Oil. But while Maersk Drilling has taken out patents for technology that would allow them to drill in the Arctic, Maersk Oil only owns a limited number of licences for drilling in that area. It is therefore likely they will team up with other companies that have larger drilling licences in the region, such as Shell and Gazprom.

Aker Kvaerner has been awarded a contract with Neptune Marine & Drilling Pte Ltd in Singapore for delivery of a drilling equipment to the Neptune Explorer drillship. The total contract value for Aker Kvaerner is approximately $23m. "This contract which consists of derrick drill floor equipment and motion compensation are based on Aker Kvaerner MH's standard drilling equipment. This contract with Neptun is our latest project that will benefit from standardisation of our drilling equipment," says Roald Amundsen, President of Aker Kvaerner MH. The drilling equipment package will be delivered end 2006/ beginning 2007.

Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Limited (Keppel O&M), has secured a contract from PetroVietnam Drilling Investment Corp (PVD Invest) to build a $191m jackup drilling rig. The contract was secured following Keppel FELS’s successful delivery of PV Drilling I, a high quality jackup drilling rig, two months ahead of schedule in March 2007. Like PV Drilling I, the new rig will also be built to the KFELS B Class design. To be named PV Drilling II, it is slated for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Buccaneer Energy contextualizes termination of its contract with Archer Drilling as project manager of work on one of its jack-up rigs. The contract was for Archer Drilling to act as project manager of modifications and repairs to the Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack-up rig owned by Kenai Offshore Ventures, LLC, which is a joint venture between Buccaneer, Singapore based Ezion Holdings Limited and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (“AIDEA”). Buccaneer is the designated Manager of Kenai Offshore. Archer Drilling was engaged by Kenai Offshore in October 2011 under a Master Services Agreement (“MSA”) to provide project management services for the modifications and repairs required to be undertaken to the Endeavour to allow it to operate in the Cook Inlet, Alaska.

Ocean Rig ASA announced that it has executed a drilling contract with an affiliate of ExxonMobil Corporation for drilling services with the company's semi-submersible drilling rig Leiv Eiriksson. As earlier reported, the drilling contract reflects a drilling program of multiple wells (including firm and optional wells) offshore West Africa.