Interview: Proxima drillship design displayed at OMC 2015

Fincantieri, an Italian shipbuilder and designer is today, at the Offshore Mediterranean Conference 2015 in Ravenna, presenting its drillship design Proxima.

The Proxima design represents a new ultra-deepwater drillship with a maximum drilling depth of 50.000 feet in 12.000 feet water depth. According to Fincantieri, differing from traditional drilling towers, Proxima system is composed of two cylindrically shaped telescopic towers.

The company promises that this innovative ship configuration increases speed of the drilling process, results in better efficiency, improved safety and higher transit speed.

Our journalist at the event spoke with Gianni Scherl, Chief Designer of the Basic Design business at Fincantieri Offshore, and in the audio interview below, you can learn about the details on both Fincantieri designs: Proxima and Overdrill.

Scherl said that while the 208 meters long drillship is an in house project by Fincantieri, thus not tailor made for any specific customer, there is still room for adjustments should there be any requirements of such sort from the potential clients.

Asked about how long will it take for a design to go from a drawing board to becoming a real drillship, Scherl said it would require 30 months from the contract signing.

However, we will probably wait more than that to see the drillship in operation, as the cuts in spending by the oil majors due to low oil prices, and oversupply of drilling rigs have made it difficult to be a drilling contractor today, the fact Scherl acknowledged.

When asked if the current market environment will affect the construction of the Proxima, Scherl said: “Absolutely yes,” adding that last year Fincantieri experienced reductions in orders for this kind of ships.

He pointed to the fact that due to the market downfall, around the world, many orders were cancelled, projects under construction stopped, and the vessels currently in the market are forced to work on low day rates.

Asked about the feedback from the industry on the Fincantieri drillship designs, Scherl said the company spoke with Transocean, Saipem, Eni, Ensco, Shell, BP, and Statoil, and the responses received were “very enthusiastic.”

Listen to the full interview below.

Offshore Energy Today Staff