Noble to construct two ultra-deepwater drillships
Bruce Beaubouef • Houston
Noble Corp. has contracted with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. for the construction of two ultra-deepwater drillships. Deliveries are expected in 2Q and 4Q of 2013 at a cost of $650 million each.
The rigs are to be based on a Hyundai Gusto P10000 hull design for operations in waters of up to 12,000 ft (3,656 m), although either may be outfitted for less depending on specific contract requirements. Each unit will have DP-3 station keeping, the ability to handle two complete BOP systems, a heave compensated construction crane to facilitate deployment of subsea production equipment and accommodations for up to 200 personnel.
MIS commemorates MENAdrill I sail away
UAE-based MIS Group has announced the sail away ofHull 109 (MENAdrill I) from its Sharjah-based yard, following settlement of final payments from its client, MENAdrill Investment Company.
Launched in 2008 by Bahrain’s First Energy Bank, MENAdrill will focus on providing contract drilling services for offshore exploration and development in the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia and others.
The rig departed on board a heavy lift vessel from MIS’ quayside following a small ceremony to celebrate the event attended by executives from the MENAdrill, MIS, and Noble Denton teams. The construction of the rig at MIS’ yard was supervised by a team from GL Noble Denton on behalf of the owner. Its sister rig, Hull 110, is scheduled for delivery early next year.
The construction of the rig at MIS’ yard was supervised by a team from GL Noble Denton on behalf of the owner. Its sister rig,Hull 110, is scheduled for delivery early next year.
Prosafe wins support role extension on Valhall
BP Norge has exercised two three-month options for the use of two Prosafe-owned accommodation rigs at its Valhall development in the Norwegian North Sea.
The first three months, starting in July, covers the continued use of the MSV Regalia. The Safe Scandinavia will take over for the remaining three months from October onwards.
Prosafe says the value of these exercised options is around $44.9 million, and it has been granted a further two-month option which would come into effect next January, if exercised.
In the UK North Sea, the company has a Letter of Intent to provide the accommodation support rig Safe Scandinavia for an unnamed project. The firm period of this award is four months, with on-site operations scheduled to start in August 2012.
Among the company’s other rigs, theSafe Concordia, Safe Astoria, Safe Bristolia, and Safe Caledonia were idle during the final quarter of 2010. The Safe Bristolia and Safe Caledonia both underwent annual maintenance work in this period.
Aker finalizes vessel specs for AMC Connector
Vessel specifications for the subsea installation and construction vesselAMC Connector are finalized, reports Aker Solutions. The vessel will target deepwater installation with a payload capacity of 9,000 metric tons (9,921 tons).
Previously calledAker Connector, the specifications call for two turntables for high-voltage power cables or umbilicals. One is to have 6,000 metric ton capacity on deck and the other 3,000 metric ton capacity below deck. The vessel is 157 m long and 32 m wide with a transit speed of 16 knots, Aker says.
Heerema Marine Contractors’ new deepwater monohull construction vesselAegir is currently being built in South Korea.
The vessel will be equipped with two heave-compensated offshore cranes – with 400 and 50 metric ton (441 and 55 ton) capacity respectively – that can operate down to 3,000 m (9,842 ft) water depth. She will have two 3,000 m depth capacity ROVs onboard and can accommodate 140 people.
One feature is the vessel’s deck flexibility. In about two days the on-deck modules can be removed to give a total space of approximately 1,500 sq m (16,146 sq ft). This will enable transport and installation of large spools and jumpers as well as subsea structures and manifolds.
AMC Connector is built by STX Europe and will be outfitted at their yard at Søviknes, Norway. She will be ready for operations from 1Q 2012. Subsea power cable provider ABB has secured the vessel for installation campaigns during 2012 and 2013.
The vessel will be owned 50/50 by Aker Solutions and Singapore-based Ezra Holdings Ltd., which recently acquired 100% of the shares in Aker Solutions’ subsidiary Aker Marine Contractors AS.
Heerema names newest construction vessel
Heerema Marine Contractors’ new deepwater monohull construction vessel will be named Aegir, after the Norse god of the sea.
The vessel, under construction in South Korea, will be capable of executing wide-ranging infrastructure and pipeline installations in ultra-deepwater, and installations of fixed platforms in relatively shallow water.
Aegir will complement HMC’s existing fleet, comprising Thialf, Hermod, Balder, and the tugs Retriever and Husky.
MODEC/AMC team on Angola FPSO
MODEC Offshore Production Systems (Singapore) has awarded Aker Marine Contractors (AMC) a $30-million installation contract to hookup theBourgogne FPSO offshore Angola.
The FPSO will serve BP’s deepwater PSVM (Plutão, Saturno, Vênus, and Marte) development in block 31 offshore Angola. It will be installed in a water depth of around 2,000 m (6,652 ft), with an oil production capacity of 157,000 b/d.
Project management and operations planning for the PVSM contract will be performed from Aker Solutions’ offices in Houston.
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