Tracy Dulle • Houston
Floating production systems forecasted for strong growth
Over the next five years, $43 billion is likely to be spent on floating production systems (FPS) as a total of 123 FPSs are installed worldwide, says a new report by Douglas-Westwood Ltd.
“The potential for strong growth in the floating production sector is clearly apparent,” said Westwood’s Managing Director Andrew Reid in a keynote speech to delegates at the Tekna Floating Production Conference in Oslo. “There are many more floater prospects on screen for 2008-2012 than were installed over the preceding five-year period.”
Significant growth is expected for the fleets of Asia, Australasia, Latin America, and Western Europe, with more moderate growth likely for Africa. North America shows a marginal decline in growth when compared to the previous five-year period; however, many projects in the GoM have relatively short lead times and levels of activity are therefore expected to exceed the prospects identified currently.
Douglas-Westwood forecasts that over 2008-2012 FPSOs will account for the largest proportion of these installations (95 vessels), along with 11 floating production semisubmersibles (FPSSs), 11 tension leg platforms (TLPs), and six spars.
“The next big surge of FPS installation activity is likely to be associated with Brazil’s 5-8 Bbbl Tupi find. That will be beyond the timeframe of our report, but the period should see the beginnings of ordering activity. In the short term, however, backlog growth within the equipment markets for long-lead items over the forecast period may slow as a large number of orders will be placed during 2008,” Reid said.
Sevan secures drilling contracts in India and China
Sevan Marine ASA has won an Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. (ONGC) bid for deepwater drilling rigs.
Subject to a letter of intent between the parties, the drilling contract will have a fixed term of three years. Revenues are expected to approximate $569 million, including mobilization. Sevan Marine’s scope is to include provision of ROVs.
Sevan Marine will provide a newbuild drilling rig to ONGC, based on its Sevan 650 design. The rig will be designed to drill in water depths to 10,000 ft (3,048 m). It will have a variable deck load of more than 15,000 metric tons (16,535 tons) and a high storage capacity of bulk materials and drilling fluids to reduce the need for re-supply. The secluded moon pool area limits the environmental impact of potential oil spills.
Sevan also secured options to build six additional Sevan units with China’s COSCO shipyard group.
The company intends to build the two deepwater drilling units at COSCO’s Nantong shipyard.
Seadrill orders newbuild semi-tender and four jackups
Seadrill has contracted with Keppel O&M in Singapore to build a new $210-million self-erecting semisubmersible tender rig.
The rig is scheduled for delivery in 1Q 2011 and will be based on a similar design and specification as the semi-tender currently under construction at Keppel. The new unit is being marketed for harsh environment and deepwater drilling operations in combination with floating wellhead platforms.
Seadrill also has ordered four jackup newbuilds from Keppel FELS and PPL Shipyard in Singapore with delivery in 2010.
The two units to be built at KFELS will be based on the KFELS Mod V ‘B’ design. The rated water depth is 400 ft (122 m) and drilling depth is 30,000 ft (9,144 m). Deliveries are scheduled in June and November 2010 and the total contract price for the two units is approximately $420 million.
The two jackups to be built at PPL Shipyard will be based on the Baker Marine Pacific Class 375 Deep Drilling design. The rated water depth is 375 ft (114 m) and drilling depth is 30,000 ft. Deliveries are scheduled in March and November 2010 and the total contract price for the units is approximately $430 million.
Seadrill has in addition received option agreements for further jackup newbuilds in 2011.
Keppel FELS delivers SeaDrill jackup early
Keppel FELS Ltd. has completed its fourth KFELS B class jackup rig for SeaDrill Ltd. within budget and three days ahead of schedule.
The rig has been christened with the name of a celestial body,West Ariel. This KFELS B class rig will have the capability of operating in water depths of up to 400 ft (122 m), has a drilling depth of 30,000 ft (9,144 m), and can accommodate 112 men.
This is Keppel Offshore & Marine’s sixth jackup rig delivery this year, with five from Keppel FELS and one from Keppel AmFELS.
Scorpion to build deepwater semisubmersible for Petrobras
Petrobras has awarded Scorpion Offshore Ltd. a letter of commitment for a newbuild deepwater semisubmersible for operations offshore Brazil prior to June 2012. The contract has a six-year duration with potential revenue of approximately $1.1 billion plus operating cost inflation adjustments throughout the contract term.
The new rig will be a dynamically positioned, four column semisubmersible capable of drilling wells to 8,500 m (27,887 ft) in water depths up to 2,400 m (7,874 ft). Scorpion is currently in discussions with several shipyards to finalize rig specifications, delivery slot, and final pricing.
The agreement is subject to certain conditions including the requirement to guarantee a shipyard slot within 30 days.
Bisso Marine adds dive support vessel to fleet
Bisso Marine has added the dive support vesselJoseph Bisso to its fleet.
Bisso Marine has added the dive support vesselJoseph Bisso to its offshore fleet.
The vessel is 180 ft (55 m) x 44 ft (13 m) x 15 ft (5 m) and is powered by two EMD 12-645-E2 main engines generating 3,000 bhp with a cruising speed of 12 knots. The vessel is equipped with a GM 8V71, 300 bhp bow thruster and three GenSets providing 450 kW of electrical power.
The dive support vessel is equipped with a 22-ton (20-metric ton) retractable boom hydraulic crane and two two-drum Manitowoc 390 winches, which provide a four-point station keeping system.
Bisso Marine will useJoseph Bisso to support its offshore construction, pipeline, and salvage projects.
