Odfjell Drilling-managed rig gets work offshore Namibia

July 9, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

African energy exploration player Rhino Resources has hired a semi-submersible rig, owned by Northern Ocean (NOL) and managed by Odfjell Drilling, for drilling operations off the coast of Namibia, Africa.

Deepsea Mira rig; Source: Odjell Drilling

While disclosing a contract with a subsidiary of Rhino Resources for the Deepsea Mira rig’s operations in Namibia in mid-July 2025, Northern Ocean explains that this deal covers one firm well for Rhino, one firm well for another operator, and three optional wells, with an estimated duration of 112 days and a projected value of approximately $40 million.

Travis Smithard, CEO of Rhino, commented: “We are pleased to partner with Northern Ocean and utilize the Deepsea Mira rig for the drilling of the Volans-1X exploration well – the third successive well to be drilled on PEL85 by Rhino and its partners NAMCOR, Korres Investments, and Azule Energy.

“We look forward to collaborating with our service company partners, Northern Ocean, Exceed, and Halliburton, to ensure the safe and successful execution of this exciting exploration well. The strategic contracting of the Deepsea Mira, an in-country rig of opportunity with high local content, further demonstrates our commitment to Namibian upliftment and our continued investment in the development of Namibia’s upstream capabilities.”

The rig owner highlights that this contract will increase its firm backlog to around $395 to $412 million. The Odfjell Drilling-managed Deepsea Mira rig is a sixth-generation enhanced and extended CS 60 E harsh environment design semi-submersible delivered by Hyundai Heavy for work in water depths of up to 3,000 meters.

Arne Jacobsen, Chief Executive Officer of NOL, remarked: “This agreement will ensure Deepsea Mira continues its operations in Namibia, following its successful campaign with Total. It also serves as a testament to the substantial local content NOL has built over time – an effort strongly supported by the Namibian government.

“Most notably, NOL together with its operator Odfjell Drilling Ltd., remain the only drilling contractor with ongoing operations and a continuous presence in Namibia over the past two years.”

The Deepsea Mira rig, which began its assignment with TotalEnergies under a multi-country drilling contract in December 2022, worked offshore Namibia to appraise the Venus light oil discovery. The semi-submersible recently drilled the Marula-1X exploration well for the French player, which ended up dry.

Antoine Berel, VP in Halliburton for Sub-Saharan Africa, stated: “We are excited to collaborate with Rhino and NOL and Odfjell Drilling to support the upcoming campaign, as we share the same value and commitment toward Namibia’s in-country value development and capacity building.”

Halliburton assisted Rhino Resources earlier this year with two exploration wells on Block 2914 in Namibia, where the operator disclosed an oil discovery, which was made using Noble’s Noble Venturer drillship.