Riser extension for Valenica to come from Aker

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway -- Aker Solutions is to supply a 2,500-ft (762-m) riser extension to the Dragonquest rig (ex-Titanium Explorer), owned by Valenica Drilling.

The contract value is around $14.2 million, including riser joints and buoyancy.

This is a supplemental order to the original delivery of a 7,500-ft (2,286-m) drilling riser system. Aker Solutions will manufacture the riser joints, with delivery scheduled for summer 2011. Valenica Drilling is a subsidiary of TMT, which has chartered Vantage Drilling Co. to manage the Dragonquest.

“Aker Solutions has dealt well with several changes of plan and has addressed any concerns that Vantage Drilling Co. had regarding the CLIP riser,” said Bill Thomson, vice president, Asset and Engineering of Vantage.

Aker Solutions has 10 drilling riser systems in operation and has delivered four drilling riser packages so far this year. The new contract follows an extension to the contract for the Platinum Explorer, awarded in 2009.


07/09/2010