PHOTO: Jack-up Maersk Highlander ‘almost ready’ for Culzean field

Maersk Drilling’s newbuild jack-up drilling rig, the Maersk Highlander, has reached Scotland and it is ‘almost ready’ to start working for Maersk Oil on the Culzean field, in the UK North Sea. 

Maersk Drilling informed on Friday, August 5, 2016, through its social media channels that the rig arrived to Scotland, following a journey from Singapore where it was built by Sembcorp Marine’s Jurong Shipyard.

The rig, loaded onto a Dockwise heavy transport vessel, set off on its journey from the shipyard in June. Maersk Drilling bought it from the financially troubled Hercules Offshore in late May. The rig was originally named Hercules Highlander and after the acquisition by the Danish drilling contractor entered Maersk Drilling’s fleet with the name Maersk Highlander.

The rig came with a five-year drilling contract with Maersk Oil and its partners, BP and JX Nippon, on the Culzean field. The contract is valued around $420 million, including a mobilization fee of $9m.

Maersk Highlander is of a Friede & Goldman JU2000E, categorized as a 400ft rig, with 30,000ft drilling depth and HPHT (High-Pressure High-Temperature) capabilities. It has accommodation capacity for up to 150 personnel.

Offshore Energy Today Staff