PHOTO: Maersk Drilling’s huge jack-up rig nears completion

Maersk Drilling, a Danish offshore drilling contractor, has shared a photo of its fourth XL Enhanced jack-up rig taking shape at the DSME shipyard in South Korea.

The driller said through social media that its XLE-4 rig, designed for ultra-harsh environment drilling, will become ‘the biggest and most advanced jack-up rig ever to be built.’

Maersk has already taken delivery of three such rigs, the Maersk Intrepid, Maersk Interceptor and Maersk Integrator with the fourth, currently named XLE-4, expected to be completed and delivered in late 2016.

According to Maersk, delivery of the last XLE jack-up will strengthen its presence in the North Sea region, where the XLE-4 will be deployed upon delivery. The rig will work for BP at Valhall field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.

The XLE-4 itself is of Det norske Veritas design with accommodation for 180 people in one-man cabins. The other three XLE rigs can accommodate a maximum of 150 people, making the XLE-4 the rig with the largest accommodation capabilities in the XLE fleet.

Its 206,8-meter legs will allow the rig to work in a rated water depth of 150 meters while the maximum drilling depth is around 12,000 meters (40,000 ft).

The XLE-4 was ordered in South Korea in 2013, with the total project cost of $650 million, including a turnkey contract with the yard.

Offshore Energy Today Staff