Offshore staff
BAKU, Azerbaijan – Two Keppel Offshore & Marine subsidiaries have won a contract to build a new semisubmersible drilling rig for use offshore Azerbaijan.
Caspian Rigbuilders and Caspian Shipyard Co. (CSC) received the $800-million order from Caspian Drilling Co., owned by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). CSC will perform fabrication, integration, testing, and commissioning of the rig while its joint-venture yard with SOCAR, Baku Shipyard, will undertake part of the fabrication of the pontoons and columns. Keppel FELS will provide engineering, procurement, and technical support.
The DSS 38M rig is designed for a drilling depth of up to 40,000 ft (12,192 m) and operations in 1,000 m (3,280 ft) water depth. To withstand high winds speeds in the Caspian Sea, it will be outfitted to include an 800-m (2,625-ft) self-contained eight-point mooring system. Delivery is scheduled for late 2016.
President of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev said the company’s drilling plans in the Azeri sector included wells on the Absheron, Babak, and Shah Deniz fields.
6/04/2013
