PSV Rem Hrist delivered to Remøy Shipping

The Ulstein Verft platform supply vesselRem Hrist embarks upon on her test trial. Photo courtesy Ulstein Group and Fuglefjellet/Arild Solberg.

Ulstein say that the PX105 design is one of the most popular, and that Captain Ole Petter Nygjerde from Remøy Shipping will be taking the vessel to the North Sea. The vessel has entered an eight-year contract with Statoil.

Her sister vessel,Rem Mist, from yard number 289, is under construction and scheduled to be delivered later this spring. 

Technip hires Solstad support vessels

Solstad Offshore has received a letter of intent to supply construction support vessels to Technip for the following programs:

• The CSVNormand Progress, a two-year extension of its present contract for operation offshore Brazil
• The CSVNormand Flower, around 200 days for operation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Statoil secures semisubmersible for Norway program

Statoil is hiring Songa Offshore’s semisubmersibleSonga Delta for use next year in fasttrack development projects in the Norwegian North Sea. The three-year contract, which has a one-year extension option, is valued at around $409 million. This includes a rig upgrade program and an associated yard stay prior to the start of the contract commencement.

Statoil plans to use Songa Offshore for drilling and completing production wells. “We will be able to realize small finds that normally would not be profitable through fasttrack developments and standardized solutions,” said Ivar Aasheim, the company’s head of field development on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Currently, the rig has commitments with Det norske oljeselskap and Wintershall in late 2Q/early 3Q 2012, but should then be demobilized to start its program for Statoil.

Perforadora Central commissions another jackup

Keppel AmFELS LLC has won a $195-million contract from Perforadora Central in Mexico to build a LeTourneau Super 116E jackup. The rig is due to be delivered in 1Q 2013. Unlike existing LeTourneau Super 116Es, however, this will be the first newbuild equipped to provide for an additional 1,500 kips of elevated load.

It will have leg lengths of 511 ft. (155 m.) and the ability to drill wells up to 30,000 ft. (9,144 m.) in a water depth of 375 ft. (114 m.). Keppel AmFELS previously delivered theTonala KFELS B Class jackup for Perforadora Central in 2004, and more recently the Tuxpan LeTourneau S116E rig in 2010. 

Rockhopper secures rig for Falklands drilling

Rockhopper Exploration has secured three firm additional well slots on theOcean Guardian semisubmersible for its drilling campaign in the offshore North Falkland basin. It plans to take up these slots after Desire Petroleum completes drilling operations on its next well, immediately following Rockhopper’s currently appraisal well on the Sea Lion discovery.

Rockhopper adds that acquisition of new 3D seismic data has been completed to the south of the Sea Lion discovery well, on license PL032. The company intends to fasttrack processing of this data, with results due in July. A wider seismic acquisition program continues over parts of licences PL024, PL032, and PL033 and adjacent areas. Sam Moody, CEO of Rockhopper, said the data would assist planning of the forward drilling program.

JDC orders jackup from Keppel FELS

Japan Drilling Co. (JDC) has commissioned a new Super B Class jackup from Keppel FELS under a $210-million contract. It is due to be delivered early in 2013. This will be JDC’s first newbuild rig order in six years and Keppel FELS’ first for that company.

The KFELS Super B Class is designed to drill to depths down to 35,000 ft (10,668 m). Its leg structure provides enhanced robustness for operations in water depths up to 425 ft (129 m). The rig is also engineered to operate in high ambient temperatures and can accommodate 150 personnel. Other features include an offline stand building capability for efficient drill pipe handling, a combined drilling load of up to 2,700 kips, and a high capacity hook load of 2 million lb.

Previously, Keppel FELS supplied two KFELS B Class jackup rigs for a JDC joint venture company with Qatar Petroleum, Gulf Drilling International. JDC had also sent theHakuryu-5 and Hakuryu-3 rigs for repair and maintenance to Keppel AmFELS and Keppel FELS, respectively. 

Sanko, Hellespont form joint venture

The Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. and Hellespont Group have formed a joint venture to supply manning and ship management for offshore fleets. The JV says it will handle four 12,250 bhp anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) and four 3,250 dwt platform supply vessels (PSV), plus a further four new 16,320 bhp AHTS and four new 4,700 dwt PSV. More vessels are expected to contract the service during 2011-2012, making a total of about 20 units in all.

Keppel clinches two vessel construction contracts

Keppel Shipyard has won new contracts totaling $132.5 million for two fasttrack projects. These involve completing the newbuildCastorone pipelay vessel for Saipem, and converting a tanker to an FSO vessel for Bumi Armada Berhad.

For theCastorone, the main work scope includes detailed engineering, constructing marine systems and outfittings, installing and integrating marine and pipelay equipment, and commissioning marine systems and sea trials. Keppel Singmarine, will execute this program jointly with Keppel Shipyard.

Castorone was scheduled to arrive at Keppel Shipyard towards the end of March, and should be delivered in mid-2012. The vessel will incorporate a DP-3 system and will be able to perform S-lay of triple-jointed 12-m. (39 ft.), or double-jointed 18-m. (59-ft.) pipes of up to 60-in. (152 cm.) diameter. It will also be equipped to accommodate a fixed tower for pipelay in the J-lay mode at a future point.

Work on the Bumi Armada conversion job started earlier this year. This program includes refurbishment and life extension works, fabrication and installation of a cargo offloading balcony and helideck, installation and integration of a 12-point spread mooring system, and upgrading of accommodation facilities.

The converted FSO will have oil storage capacity of 500,000 bbl. It should be ready for service in the second half of this year on the Sepat oilfield in block PM 313, off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia. Keppel Shipyard also is converting of an FPSO for Bumi Armada, destined for the Te Giac Trang oilfield development offshore southern Vietnam.