Tracy Dulle - Houston
Keppel delivers FPSO Espirito Santo
Keppel Shipyard has delivered the FPSOEspirito Santo to SBM Offshore. At presstime, the vessel was en route to Singapore for deployment in the Espirito Santo field offshore Brazil.
The FPSO can process 100,000 b/d of oil with a maximum storage capacity of 2 MMbbl of oil.
It will be leased to the BC-10 Joint Venture, which is operated by Shell with ONGC Campos Ltda., and Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) as co-venturers. The FPSO will be operated by a joint venture between SBM Offshore and MISC.
Keppel Shipyard’s scope of work included refurbishment and conversion of the vessel’s existing systems, upgrades of the accommodation facilities, fabrication and installation of sponson tanks (making the entire hull double sided), the turret mooring system, pipe rack, flare tower and helideck, as well as integration of all of the oil processing modules.
Aegean Energy contracts Energy Exerter
Aegean Energy has awarded Northern Offshore UK a contract for the jackupEnergy Exerter. The three-well contract is expected to begin in January 2009 and is expected to run some 135 days, including a 15-day mobilization period from the North Sea to offshore Kavala, Greece.
The estimated contract value is approximately $22.6 million, which is comprised of $18.6 million during the drilling period and $4 million in mobilization and demobilization fees. TheEnergy Exerter, currently in the Pechora Sea, is expected to conclude its contract offshore the Russian Federation in late December 2008 and mobilize directly to Greece.
West Hercules begins China operations
The deepwater semisubmersible rigWest Hercules is at work for Husky Oil China.
Seadrill also reports that it has taken delivery of the deepwater semisubmersible rigWest Taurus from the Jurong yard in Singapore. The unit was delivered one week ahead of original schedule and began transit to Brazil on Nov. 9. The unit is contracted to Petrobras for six years.
Maersk, Consafe extend KS Energy vessel contracts
Maersk has awarded KS Energy Services a contract extension for the accommodation jackupAtlantic Rotterdam. The contract has been extended from March 2009 to March 2010 with improved day rates, bringing the firm contract value to approximately $25 million. The contract also has two one-year extension options, giving it the possibility of being extended into March 2012, the company says.
Consafe has awarded KS Energy a two-year management contract extension for theSafe Esbjerg for work offshore Denmark. The contract extension covers from end-June 2009 to end-June 2011 at a value of $16.8 million. The value of the optional one-year contract extension to June 2012 is $8.8 million.
Transocean receives newbuild contract
Transocean has received a five-year contract for an ultra deepwater newbuild drillship equipped to drill in 10,000 ft (3,048 m) of water. The vessel is upgradable to 12,000 ft (3,658 m) of water with additional equipment, and to drill to 40,000 ft (12,129 m) total depth.
The five-year drilling contract is expected to begin in 4Q 2010, following rig construction. Contracted revenues related to the five-year contract term are approximately $1.17 billion to $1.19 billion, depending on countries of operation during the contract term, says Transocean.
Construction of the unnamed dynamically positioned, double-hull drillship is scheduled at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, with the first steel cutting in January 2009. The design is an enhanced version of Transocean’sC.R. Luigs and Jack Ryan-class drillship designs. It will feature Transocean’s dual-activity drilling technology. It also will feature a third load path through a 165-metric-ton (182-ton) active heave compensating crane for subsea construction activity. The rig will have expanded completion capabilities and a variable load of 20,000 metric tons (22,046 tons).
Total E&P Angola books Ocean Valiant
Total E&P Angola has signed a two-year contract with Diamond Offshore Drilling for the semisubmersibleOcean Valiant to work in Angola. The contract could earn Diamond maximum revenue, excluding mobilization fees, of approximately $452-million. The contract is convertible into either a 2-1/2- or three-year agreement.
Petrobras charters Normand Progress
Petrobras has awarded Technip a daily-rate contract worth more than $100 million for a two-year charter of theNormand Progress, a vessel specializing in flexible pipeline installation. The contract includes engineering and support services, as well as an additional two-year option.
The vessel will be used for the installation and retrieval of flexible pipelines offshore Brazil, at water depths reaching 2,000 m (6,562 ft). The vessel, scheduled for mobilization by year-end, will be fitted with flexible pipelay equipment including a 125-metric ton (138-ton) vertical lay system.
Keppel delivers Deep Driller 6
Keppel FELS has delivered the jackup drilling rig,Deep Driller 6, to Sinvest AS (Sinvest), a subsidiary of Aban Singapore (ASPL).
Deep Driller 6 is the fourth unit to be delivered in a series of five KFELS Super B class rigs built for Sinvest. The fifth rig, Deep Driller 8, is on track for delivery in 1Q 2009, the company says.
The KFELS Super B class design is one of the world’s deepest drilling rigs, with capabilities for drilling HP/HT wells to 35,000 ft (10,668 m) in 350 ft (107 m) water depth.
Vietgazprom contracts Energy Searcher
Vietgazprom has awarded Jet Holding a $122-million contract for the drillshipEnergy Searcher. The five-well contract is expected to begin between June and September 2009 for a 365-day duration, including mobilization.
TheEnergy Searcher, currently in Singapore, concluded its last contract offshore Indonesia in late June 2008 and is available for interim work, according to the company.
