Noble rig secures spot at Norwegian yard after UK drilling gig

U.S.-headquartered offshore drilling giant Noble Corporation has booked a yard stay at Green Yard Feda in southern Norway for a semi-submersible, said to be one of the world’s largest and most advanced harsh-environment drilling rigs.

The Ocean GreatWhite semi-submersible, which resumed operations with BP in the North Sea in early July 2024, is expected to arrive at Green Yard Feda for a scheduled yard stay during one of the upcoming days, right after completing its job west of Shetland.

Designed by Moss Maritime (CS60E), the rig, which entered service in 2016, is equipped to operate in water depths up to 3,000 meters and drill to depths of 10,670 meters. With accommodation for up to 180 personnel, the unit is outfitted with NOV drilling systems.

Hans Jørgen Fedog, CEO of Green Yard, remarked: “We are proud to welcome the Ocean GreatWhite to Green Yard Feda. This project underscores our yard’s capabilities in handling high-specification offshore units and our commitment to supporting the global offshore energy sector with sustainable ship yard services.”

Green Yard Feda is perceived to be well-positioned to support complex offshore assets such as the Ocean GreatWhite rig. The shipyard believes that the establishment of its branch office in the middle of the city of Stavanger has led to this contract in the rig market.

Fedog continued:“The yard stay will include a range of maintenance, demobilization and upgrade activities to ensure the rig’s continued operational excellence. The collaboration between Noble Corporation and Green Yard Feda reflects a shared focus on safety, efficiency, and sustainable responsibility.”

Noble has won multiple new drilling assignments for its rig fleet, including the recent deal with TotalEnergies for a drilling campaign offshore Papua New Guinea.