Offshore staff
SUGAR LAND, Texas -- Noble says its semisubmersible drilling unit Noble Amos Runner has established a new world record for the deepest conventionally moored rig in 7,650 ft of water on Green Canyon block 955.
The semi uses an existing mooring system, as opposed to using pre-set moorings that require anchors or suction piles to be in place before the rig arrives. The system includes 9,500 ft of 3-1/4-in. anchor wire and 4,250 ft of 2-3/4-in. anchor chain on each of the rig's nine anchor points. With a total length of over 23 mi, the complete mooring system weighs in excess of 2,270 tons.
TheNoble Amos Runner is a Noble EVA-4000(TM)-designed semisubmersible upgraded in 1999. Rated to operate in water depths up to 8,000 ft, the rig is equipped to drill wells to 32,500 ft total depth.
While the rig's existing mooring system meets all current MMS interim guidelines for this location, the semi is one of four Noble EVA-4000(TM) rigs scheduled to be equipped with Noble's NC-5SM mooring system. This system, which was developed following Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, and Rita, increases the number of mooring points from nine to 12, providing added station keeping ability during extreme weather.
08/31/06
