Semi-sub rig starts drilling gig with TotalEnergies in Namibia

Offshore drilling contractor Northern Ocean has confirmed that one of its semi-submersible rigs, which TotalEnergies employed for multi-country operations, has arrived in Namibia and kicked off its drilling assignment.

TotalEnergies picked the Deepsea Mira rig in December 2022 for its multi-country drilling campaign. The rig departed from Bergen, Norway, at the beginning of April 2023 and began mobilisation to the first well in Namibia. The rig’s contract with TotalEnergies was originally expected to start in the middle of the second quarter of 2023.

However, the rig run into delays loading equipment and performing required maintenance during the transit, thus, Northern Ocean was targeting the beginning of the contract at the end of the second quarter.

In an update on Wednesday, 28 June 2023, the rig owner confirmed that its Deepsea Mira high-specification semi-submersible drilling rig had completed the transit to Namibia and started drilling activities under its contract with TotalEnergies.

With an estimated firm duration of 300 days, plus one 180-day option and a 90-day option, these two unexercised options would extend the term through all of 2024. Northern Ocean further underlines that Odfjell Drilling not only prepared and mobilised the rig to Namibia but it is also providing operations management for the duration of this contract.

The Deepsea Mira is an enhanced and extended CS 60 E harsh environment design semi-submersible delivered by Hyundai Heavy in South Korea. 

Recently, Northern Ocean also secured an extension option with Shell in Namibia for the Deepsea Bollsta rig, thus, the firm term of the contract will now run into June 2024. According to the rig owner, the oil major has an additional six-month option.