Jack-up rig gets multi-well gig offshore Oman

Singapore’s Rex International has revealed that its subsidiary, Masirah Oil, has hired a jack-up rig for a multi-well drilling program at a field in the Block 50 concession offshore Oman.

Masirah Oil has inked a contract for the Energy Emerger jack-up rig, operated by Northern Offshore, for work at the Yumna field. Thanks to this, the rig will undertake the drilling and completion of a new in-field well and the work-over of two existing production wells.

The rig’s assignment with Masirah will start in mid-March 2024. The 2017-built Energy Emerger jack-up rig is of a GustoMSC CJ46-X100-D design. With a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 ft, the rig is capable of carrying out operations in water depths up to 375 ft.

Mike Hopkinson, General Manager of Masirah, commented: “We are very appreciative of the support and assistance from the Oman Ministry of Energy and Minerals, enabling us to secure the rig in a tight supply environment.”

Masirah Oil has a 100% interest in the Block 50 concession, while Rex International holds an effective interest of 91.81% in Masirah Oil. The company’s field development plan (FDP) for Yumna was approved in July 2020 by Oman’s Ministry of Oil and Gas.

The Ministry also awarded the Declaration of Commerciality (DOC), enabling Masirah Oil to fully develop the Yumna field while continuing to explore the rest of Block 50. As a result, the company completed the drilling of three exploration prospects, located near the Yumna field in the Arabian Sea off Oman, back in April 2021.

Furthermore, upgrades were made to the field’s production facilities from February to April 2022. One of these changes is related to a new floating storage tanker, which was put in place instead of the previous one. The new tanker is certified to be in the field for several years without dry-docking.