Another drilling job in place for Deepsea Yantai semi-sub

Odfjell Drilling has agreed on a contract for the use of the Deepsea Yantai semi-submersible rig for one well located in the Norwegian Sea, with further options.

The company agreed on the contract with PGNiG Upstream Norway, part of Poland’s oil and gas company PGNiG, on behalf of CIMC Offshore.

The contract includes the drilling of the Tomcat firm well in PL 1055 in the Norwegian Sea, with the option to drill two further wells in 2024.

The firm scope of work is estimated to take 55 days and is set to commence in the second or third quarter of 2024.

As a result of the signing of this contract, the firm backlog for Deepsea Yantai is expected to now extend into Q3 2024.

PGNiG Upstream Norway secured a drilling permit from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) in August for a wildcat well located in the Norwegian Sea, which will also be spudded using Deepsea Yantai.

Deepsea Yantai is a GM4D design capable of operations in harsh environments and at water depths of up to 1,200 meters. It is managed by Odfjell Drilling and owned by China’s CIMC Raffles.

The 2019-built semi-sub has several jobs lined up for 2023. The rig is expected to work for Austria’s OMV in 1Q 2023 and drill one firm well in the North Sea, plus one optional well in 2023 or 2024, and is scheduled to work for DNO Norge in 2Q/3Q 2023 and drill one firm well in the North Sea.

Earlier this month, Neptune Energy extended the contract for the use of Deepsea Yantai for two firm wells in Norway.