Aker BP hires Odfjell Drilling rig for Norwegian ops

Offshore driller Odfjell Drilling has signed a contract with Aker BP for the 2010-built Deepsea Stavanger semi-submersible drilling rig. 

The driller informed on Thursday that the contract with Aker BP is for a period of approximately nine months, starting in February 2018 and completing around October 2018.

The contract for the 6th generation semi-submersible is for exploration and development drilling at various locations in the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. The contract value is estimated up to $68 million, Odfejll Drilling said.

The contract with Aker BP will follow from the estimated completion of the Wintershall Maria contract and continue until the Deepsea Stavanger is due to mobilize to South Africa to complete one well for Total.

The rig started drilling on the Maria field for Wintershall in March 2017 and will drill a total of six wells. The contract with the French oil company is set to start between June 2018 and April 2019.

Odfjell Drilling CEO, Simen Lieungh, said: “The contract with Aker BP is an important opportunity for Odfjell Drilling to demonstrate its continued exceptional track record and develop a relationship with potentially one of Norway’s largest oil companies. Aker BP’s focus on digitalisation is very exciting and appealing for our company’s operational philosophy and appetite to work with operators in developing tomorrow’s technology.”