Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Statoil has opted to suspend use of two contracted rigs offshore Norway for the remainder of this year, due to overcapacity in the operator’s rig portfolio.
The suspension may be extended, although the company says it is trying to line up drilling assignments for both rigs during 2015.
Transocean Spitsbergen is about to conclude an exploration program for Statoil in the Barents Sea. After it has finished the Saturn exploration well, it will cut and retrieve a wellhead in the Mercury exploration well, probably finishing in mid-November.
The semisubmersible will then begin a planned yard stay from Jan. 1, 2015. It remains under contract to Statoil until the start of 3Q 2015.
Songa Trym is expected to finish plugging a well on the Oseberg field in the North Sea next week, after which it will go on a 75% suspension rate ($279,000/d) expected until the end of this year.
Songa Offshore will use the suspension to speed up planned maintenance work on the rig.
Following the suspension, Statoil will have 15 rigs operating actively on the Norwegian shelf.
11/06/2014
