David Paganie • Houston
Pride takes Deep Ocean Ascension, awaits sister ships
Pride International took delivery of its first of four new drillship,Deep Ocean Ascension, in February. The new deepwater drillships are being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea. The rig is scheduled to begin drilling in the US Gulf of Mexico in the third quarter under a five-year contract with BP.
The next Pride drillship,Deep Ocean Clarion, is scheduled for completion in August, followed by Deep Ocean Mendocino in 1Q 2011, and Deep Ocean Molokai in 4Q 2011.
Five new rigs to join Seadrill fleet
PPL Shipyard has completed construction of Seadrill’s new tender rigsWest Vencedor and T12.
The Norwegian drilling contractor has seven further new rigs under construction in yards in Singapore and South Korea. The company expects to take delivery of the ultra deepwater rigsWest Orion and West Gemini in April and July, respectively, the jackups West Callisto and West Leda also in July, and West Juno in October.
Meanwhile,West Orion was christened at Jurong Shipyard, Singapore, in March. The rig is contracted to Petrobras for a six-year assignment offshore Brazil. West Orion is one of 12 Friede and Goldman ExD Class semisubmersible deepwater drilling units built by Jurong Shipyard, six of which have been delivered. The rig is designed to drill to 37,500 ft (11,430 m) deep in up 10,000 ft (3,048 m) of water.
In 2011, the tender rigWest Berani should be completed early in the first quarter, followed in the fourth quarter by the ultra deepwater semi West Capricorn.
Seadrill has a letter of intent for theWest Callisto to drill eight wells over a 260-day program, at a day rate of $119,000. The operator has an option for five further wells.
In February, Twinza took Seadrill’s jackupWest Triton on a 60-day assignment in Southeast Asia, at a day rate of $116,000. Seadrill is negotiating direct continuation of this work.
Petrobras awards Diamond three term contracts
Petrobras has awarded Diamond Offshore three term drilling contracts for work offshore Brazil, worth approximately $1.4 billion combined.
The DP semisubmersibleOcean Valor received a three-year commitment. Preparations were under way to mobilize the rig from Singapore to Brazil, with work expected to begin in the middle of this year. Petrobras has the right to convert the contract to five years anytime during the first year of operation, with a slight reduction in day rate.
The semisubmersibleOcean Baroness secured a three-year commitment as well. Preparations were under way to mobilize the rig from the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, with work expected to start in the third quarter of this year. Petrobras can convert the contract, similar to the arrangement with Ocean Valor.
The DP drillshipOcean Clipper won a five-year contract. The rig is at work for Petrobras under a contract that extends until mid-December.
Additionally, Diamond says Petrobras initially will deploy theOcean Courage in Brazil beginning late in the second quarter of this year, rather than the GoM as previously anticipated. The rig is under contact with Petrobras for five years extending to mid-February 2015.
The rigsValor and Courage were purchased out of bankruptcy by subsidiaries of Diamond Offshore in late 2009.
MIS wins Abu Dhabi jackup refurb order
Abu Dhabi’s National Drilling Co. has contracted Maritime Industrial Services (MIS) to modify and refurbish its jackupNDC Al Bzoom. The $55.4-million order is MIS’ largest to date for this type of work, the company says.
NDC Al Bzoom is a Baker Marine BMC-150-IC design rated for operations in up to 110 ft (33.5 m) of water and subsurface drilling depths to 18,000 ft (5,486 m). It will be used to drill in Abu Dhabi’s offshore fields.
In February, MIS delivered newbuild jackupKS Endeavor (Hull 107) to KSAM 2 Petrodrill Offshore, a joint venture between Singapore-based KS Energy Services, Saudi Arabian company Amwal Al Khaleej, and MIS.
KS Endeavor, a Friede & Goldman Super M2 design, is MIS’ third newbuild offshore jackup drilling rig. MIS says its existing newbuild backlog should keep the UAE yard fully employed throughout 2010, although no further newbuild contracts are booked. It plans to focus on developing new opportunities in the Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabian markets.
Polarcus accepts new vessel
Polarcus Naila AS has taken delivery of the 12-streamer 3D seismic vesselPolarcus Naila. The vessel was built at Drydocks World – Dubai and will go to West Africa for Noble Energy Cameroon.
The 89-m (291-ft), double-hulled vessel features Sentinel solid streamers, diesel-electric propulsion, high specification catalytic convertors, DP-2 dynamic positioning, and advanced bilge water cleaning.
The vessel also is contracted by Gassnova SF for a June Norwegian Sea program.
RINA to class world’s first LNG FSRU
RINA is classifying what it claims is the world’s first offshore LNG floating storage and regassification unit (FSRU), for the OLT Offshore LNG Toscana project.
Dubai Drydocks is converting the Moss-typeGolar Frost into a 3.75 bcm/yr (132 bcf/yr) FSRU, which will be moored in 120 m (394 ft) of water off Italy’s west coast. Scheduled onstream in 2011, the vessel will regasify LNG and pump it into Italy’s gas grid.
RINA will class the vessel and provide statutory certification on behalf of the Italian government.
Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2 begins work off India
Transocean’s new ultra deepwater drillshipDhirubhai Deepwater KG2 has started work offshore India for Reliance Industries under a five-year contract. The vessel is owned by a joint venture between Transocean and Pacific Drilling Ltd.
The DP rig has National Oilwell Varco drilling packages, off-line tubular-handling and stand-building capacity, advanced mud systems, and can build, store, and run several subsea trees, Transocean says. In addition, the vessel has a variable deckload of 20,000 metric tons (22,046 tons), can work in waters to 12,000 ft (3,658 m) deep, and drill to 35,000 ft (10,668 m).
