Keppel on course for jackup delivery
Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd.’s subsidiary Keppel AmFELS Inc. is on course for a timely delivery of its first Scorpion jackup rig. The company expects to deliver the first of its five jackup rigs on time and within budget for Scorpion Offshore Ltd.
The company launched the jackup rigOffshore Courageous Nov. 4, 2006, marking the completion of the hull works, a major construction milestone.
According to Jon Cole, CEO of Scorpion Offshore, the company remains, “on track for an on-time on-budget delivery.”
TheOffshore Courageous is undergoing final outfitting, installation of the drilling equipment and remaining leg sections, and commissioning prior to the rig’s delivery in May 2007.
“Fabrication of the other four Scorpion rigs is also on course as scheduled. We expect to begin progressive delivery of the five jackup rigs beginning with the second quarter of 2007,” Ho Cheok Yuen, president and CEO of Keppel AmFELS, says.
The other four Scorpion rigs areOffshore Defender, Offshore Resolute, Offshore Vigilant, and Offshore Intrepid. All five rigs are built to the LeTourneau Super 116 design, with leg lengths of 145 m (477 ft). The jackups are capable of drilling wells to 9,144 m (30,000 ft) in 107 m (350 ft) water depth.
In addition to the five Scorpion rigs, Keppel AmFELS is also building a KFELS Super B Class jackup rig calledOcean Scepter for Diamond Offshore and a LeTourneau Enhanced S116 jackup rig, Atwood Aurora for Atwood Oceanics.
Ongoing repair and refurbishment projects include semisubmersible drilling rigsOcean Saratoga for Diamond Offshore, Kan Tan IV for Beijing Zhiyuan Industries Co. and managed by Maersk Contractors, and jackups Pride Oklahoma and Pride Tennessee for Pride International.
Seadrill lands drillship LOI
Bermuda-based Seadrill Ltd. has been awarded a letter of intent for the ultra deepwater drillshipWest Polaris (formerly Mosvold I). The contract has a firm duration of three years and an estimated contract value of $570 million.
West Polaris, under construction at the Samsung Shipyard in South Korea, is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2Q 2008.
SBM Offshore taking orders
SBM Offshore N.V. recently received a number of orders, including a contract from Shell for an FPSO to be used on the BC-10 field offshore Brazil. The FPSO, based on the conversion of a VLCC hull from the company inventory, will have the capacity to process 100,000 b/d of oil and inject up to 75,000 b/d of water. The vessel will be installed in 1,780 m (5,840 ft) water depth.
SBM also plans to execute a joint venture contract with Malaysia International Shipping Corp. Berhad (MISC). Discussions between the parties are in progress. The two companies are also partners in the FPSOBrasil, under lease with Petrobras on the Roncador field, and in the Kikeh FPSO for Murphy, under construction in Malaysia.
In October, SBM agreed to supply offshore contracting services ensuring full occupation of installation vesselsDynamic Installer and Normand Installer until the middle of 2007.
Aker Kvaerner to deliver process equipment
Aker Kvaerner has signed a contract to deliver process modules to Aker Floating Production’s Smart FPSOs.
Aker Kvaerner subsidiary, Aker Kvaerner Process Systems, will carry out engineering, procurement, and fabrication services of separation modules, riser balcony modules, and the flare system. The scope of work covers the first two FPSO conversions, involvingAker Smart 1 and Aker Smart 2.
The process equipment for the first FPSO is scheduled for delivery in 2Q 2007. The equipment for the second FPSO will be delivered in 4Q 2007.
Swiber invests to expand fleet
Swiber Holdings Ltd. is investing $5.1 million to help finance the acquisition and/or construction of vessels and has earmarked $2.6 million for converting a launch barge into a pipelay barge. The $20-million pipelay barge would be funded in part from the IPO proceeds - two million shares were floated in Singapore on Nov. 6.
An integrated offshore engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commission (EPCIC) company, Swiber has commissioned the construction of a $6.8-million jackup barge that is scheduled for completion in 4Q 2006, the cost of which would be financed from internal funds and/or bank borrowings.
Swiber Offshore Ltd. expects to increase its spread of vessels for specific offshore EPCIC activities. It has nine vessels under construction, including three anchor handling tug supply boats and three flat-top barges. Also in the pipeline are plans for the construction of a $30-million pipelay barge that will be financed from internal funds and/or bank borrowings.
Fred Olsen to build drillship
Fred Olsen Energy ASA has entered into an agreement of intent with South Korea state-owned oil company, Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC), to request proposals for a jointly owned newbuild, ultra deepwater drillship. FOE subsidiary, Dolphin Drilling Ltd., will undertake the technical and commercial operation of the drillship.
The project is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
Sembawang carries out upgrades
SembCorp Marine subsidiary Sembawang Shipyard has secured a $19.3-million contract from Neptune Marine Oil & Gas Ltd., Scotland, to upgrade and reactivate theNeptune Explorer drillship.
TheNeptune Explorer is expected to undergo six months of major upgrading. Work began at the end of October 2006. The scope of work includes a complete overhaul, rebuilding the accommodations area, and repairs to the marine systems.
In addition to theNeptune Explorer, the Sembawang yard is upgrading two other drillships and is constructing a Baker Marine designed Pacific Class 375 Deep Drilling jackup rig. Work on the jackup rig is expected to begin this month (December 2006) with delivery scheduled in July 2009.
The jackup rig will operate in 114 m (375 ft) water depth and will be equipped with a drilling package that will enable it to drill high-pressure and high-temperature wells to a depth of 9,144 m (30,000 ft). The rig is designed with accommodation for 120.
PPL Shipyard Pte. Ltd. recently delivered two of the new generation Baker Marine Pacific Class 375 Deep Drilling jackup rigs to other owners.
Judy Maksoud, Houston
