GustoMSC launches harsh environment semi-submersible rig design

 

Gusto Ocean 1600 and 850 in the backgroundGustoMSC, a Dutch company providing engineering and design services for the international offshore energy companies, has launched its new harsh environment drilling semi-submersible series design, the OCEAN-HE.

GustoMSC said on Monday that this new series was created due to the increasing requirements for rigs able to work in harsh environments. The rig solutions are based on GustoMSC’s experience in harsh environments and existing OCEAN designs.

The two models named OCEAN850-HE and OCEAN1600-HE are designed for harsh mid-water and deepwater environment operations respectively, with a semi-submersible hull shape meant for low motion characteristics and optimum station keeping capabilities.

The OCEAN1600-HE is the largest semi-submersible drilling rig design by GustoMSC to date. It has a maximum displacement of approximately 70,000 tons, a large derrick, DP3 and a 16 point mooring system for station keeping, combined with a large deck area and large variable deck load. The rig is directed at the high spec deepwater spectrum. It is designed to cope with the North Atlantic environmental conditions.

According to GustoMSC, the OCEAN850-HE is a cost efficient midwater harsh environment design. The result is a moored-only harsh environment semi-submersible design of approximately 50,000 tons displacement with a water depth rating of 1,000 meters and a 6th generation efficient single derrick combined with horizontal riser storage.

GustoMSC’s OCEAN series started in 2008 with five units built and introduced to date. The company said that with the introduction of the OCEAN-HE series GustoMSC can provide full coverage of the harsh environment drilling spectrum.