Tracy Dulle • Houston
BG Norge secures rig for drilling contract
BG Norge AS has received consent to carry out exploration drilling at well 34/3-1 S using theBredford Dolphin mobile facility.
Well 34/3-1 is part of production license 373S. The 70-day drilling schedule expected to begin in March 2008.
Pride earns rig contract extensions
Petroleo Brasileiro SA has awarded Pride International contract extensions for the deepwater, dynamically positioned semisubmersible rigsPride Rio de Janeiro and Pride Portland.
Pride’s semisubmersiblePride Portland has been given a contract extension in direct continuation of the rig’s current contract commitment and a scheduled shipyard program to complete a regulatory survey. Pride’s Pride Rio de Janeiro also received an extension.
The six-year contract extensions are expected to begin during late 2010 to early 2011. The estimated total contract revenue is $1.5 billion.
The two semisubmersibles have operated offshore Brazil for Petrobras since entering service in 2004. Both units are expected to continue operations in the region throughout the extension period.
ENSCO signs letter of intent for ENSCO 8503
ENSCO International Inc. has entered into a letter of intent for a drilling contract forENSCO 8503, an ultra deepwater semisubmersible rig currently under construction by the Keppel FELS Ltd. Shipyard in Singapore.
The aggregate day rate revenue for the two-year term is expected to be approximately $372 million. The base operating rate is $510,000 per day, subject to adjustment for variances in operating costs from current levels.
ENSCO 8503 is ENSCO’s fourth ultra deepwater semisubmersible rig in the ENSCO 8500 series and will increase the company’s deepwater fleet to five rigs, inclusive of the ENSCO 7500 deepwater semisubmersible rig that has been in service since 2000.
ENSCO 8503 is expected to be delivered in 3Q 2010.
MODEC signs LOI for Petrobras FPSO
MODEC has signed a letter of intent with Petrobras for the supply, charter, and operations of an FPSO vessel. The lease is for 12 years with three one-year options.
MODEC is responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, mobilization, and operations of the FPSO, including topsides processing equipment, hull, and marine systems. SOFEC will provide the spread mooring.
MODEC plans to convert the VLCC FSOBateau into an FPSO capable of processing 350 MMcf/d of gas and 35,000 b/d of oil, and storing 700,000 bbl of oil. The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Brazil in 4Q 2009.
The FPSO, to be named FPSOCidade de Santos MV20, will be deployed in 1,300 m (4,265 ft) of water in the Urugua field and also will gather production from the Tambau field in the Santos basin. The development plan includes 12 wells, with first production expected in January 2010. The natural gas processed from the FPSO will be delivered through an 18 in. (46 cm) gas pipeline to the Mexilhão field.
HHI to deliver Usan FPSO
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has received a $1.6-billion Letter of Award (LOA) from Elf Petroleum Nigeria to build an FPSO for the Usan field. HHI will carry out all phases of the project on a turnkey basis, from the engineering, procurement, and construction, to the test runs.
The FPSO is to measure 320 m (1,050 ft) in length, 61 m (200 ft) in width, with a depth of 32 m (105 ft). It will have design capacity to produce 160,000 b/d of oil and 5 MMcf/d of natural gas, and 2 MMbbl of oil storage.
The FPSO is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
Keppel FELS to build $205 million jackup
Keppel FELS Ltd. will build a third KFELS B class jackup drilling rig worth about $205 million for PetroVietnam Drilling Investment Corp. (PVD Invest). The agreement is subject to conditions being met by March 14, 2008.
This latest unit and PVD Invest’s second rig,PV Drilling II, which is under construction at Keppel FELS, are scheduled for delivery in 4Q 2009.
Keppel FELS delivered the first jackup,PV Drilling I, to PVD Invest two months ahead of schedule.
“It is estimated that there will be some 900 exploration wells in Vietnam over the next 15 years,” says Do Van Khanh, chairman of PVD Invest. “We want to position ourselves to capture this market for specialized oil and gas services with the support of a strong and reliable shipyard that can deliver projects punctually, on budget, and without incidents.”
PV Drilling I was delivered to PVD Invest by Keppel FELS two months ahead of schedule. Keppel will now build a third jackup drilling rig for PVD Invest.
To meet the tight exploration schedule, PV Drilling intends to make capital investments of around $1.7 billion from now until 2025 to build and operate a fleet of 11 offshore and onshore rigs.
The latest KFELS B class rig will be able to operate in water depths of 360 ft (110 m) with a drilling depth of 30,000 ft (9,144 m). The rig features engines that meet more stringent emission standards, and it will have reduced spud can bearing pressure for operation in areas with soft soil conditions. Its living quarters are designed to accommodate up to 110.
Bollinger Marine Fabricators to design new tank barge
Bollinger Marine Fabricators has signed a contract for the design and construction of a 55,000-bbl capacity, Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA’90) compliant tank barge with Martin Midstream Partners. Contract terms and conditions were not disclosed.
The tank barge,M 6000, will be built at Bollinger Marine Fabricators in Amelia, Louisiana. It will be a clean oil barge that is classed and certified ABS + A1, manned ocean services.
The barge will be designed at 350 ft (107 m) long, with a 70-ft (21-m) beam and a depth of 25 ft (7.6 m). The barge is being built to meet the requirements of OPA’90, with 10 cargo compartments and two separate pumping systems. It also will be outfitted with the Bludworth ATB flexible connection system.
