North Sea & Europe Rigs/Vessels News

Total E&P UK and Elf Exploration UK have taken Solstad Offshore’s platform supply vessel (PSV) Normand Aurora on a long-term basis.

Subsea 7 has exercised an option to extend a contract on the construction vessel Skandi Seven by one year from March 31, 2013.

BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. has contracted with Prosafe to use the Safe Caldeonia accommodation support vessel at the Andrew area development in the North Sea.

Dockwise (OSLO:DOCK) has decided to convert its Type 2 Black Marlin transportation vessel to a Type 1 vessel, similar to sister ship Blue Marlin.

The new lay vessel CSV North Ocean 105, jointly owned by Oceanteam Shipping and J Ray McDermott (Norway) has started a five-year time charter immediately upon delivery from Metalships.

Harris Pye has completed a comprehensive refit and refurbishment of the Diamond Offshore Drilling drillship Ocean Clipper.

Statoil has ordered a new type of intervention vessel from Aker Solutions.

Statoil has awarded Prosafe contracts for use of two accommodation support semisubmersibles in the Norwegian North Sea.

Allseas has commissioned Huisman to design and manufacture a new offshore mast crane for the pipelay vessel Solitaire.

Dolphin Geophysical AS has christened the M/V Polar Duchess.

Awilco Drilling has a letter of award from Premier Oil for use of the semisubmersible WilPhoenix drilling rig.

Technip (PARIS:TEC) has won its largest UK offshore contract to date, valued at around $792 million, for work at BP’s Quad 204 project west of Shetland.

Halliburton has chartered Island Offshore’s new well stimulation vessel Island Captain for a two-month firm contract.

Petroleum Safety Authority Norway has approved the use of the accommodation semisubmersible vessel Floatel Superior on Oseberg Sør in the North Sea.

Statoil has awarded Dockwise a reservation contract for transportation of a spar platform to the Norwegian Sea.

Solstad Offshore has signed charter agreements for four offshore construction vessels, all starting this month.

DSME has contracted Siemens to provide power packages for Statoil’s two new Cat D. semisubmersible drilling rigs, both under construction in South Korea.

Baker Hughes announced that its subsidiary has chartered a new state-of-the-art pressure pumping vessel that will provide offshore stimulation services to Maersk Oil in the North Sea.

Lerwick Harbour on Shetland, northern Scotland, has begun operation ahead of schedule to support a North Sea subsea project.

Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway has approved Norske Shell request to remove the dedicated standby vessel from the Draugen field in the Norwegian Sea.

Prosafe expects demand for its accommodation semisubmersibles in the North Sea to remain strong for at least the next couple of years.

NJSC Chornomornaftogaz’s pipelay barge GMC Pride has left the Hidrodinamik Shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, following a conversion program.

Statoil has ordered from Songa Offshore two more purpose-built drilling rigs to work on the Norwegian continental shelf.