Sixth-gen rig kicks off multi-year gig with Equinor

September 3, 2025, by Dragana Nikše

Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has started a drilling campaign offshore Norway using a semi-submersible rig managed by Odfjell Drilling and owned by Northern Ocean.

Deepsea Bollsta; Source: Northern Ocean via LinkedIn

According to social media posts by Northern Ocean and Odfjell Drilling, the Deepsea Bollsta started its two-year firm contract with Equinor, which includes five optional one-year extension periods, ahead of schedule, on August 31.

The rig is now fully operational in Norway, following a focused mobilization phase and a 2.5-year ultra-deepwater campaign offshore Namibia.

Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2019, Deepsea Bollsta is a sixth-generation semi-submersible rig of Moss CS60E design. It can carry out operations in benign and harsh environments at water depths of up to 3,000 meters.

Returning to Norway earlier this year, the rig’s first assignment back in Europe included the drilling of the Hoffmann exploration well (6606/4-1 S&A) in the Norwegian Sea with OMV Norge.

According to Northern Ocean’s Q2 2025 report, the one-well contract with OMV was completed on July 23, 69 days after the start. While the well ended up being dry, the rig delivered what its owner says is a solid performance with no incidents.

Earlier this month, Equinor received green light from the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) to use Deepsea Bollsta for permanent plugging and abandonment of wells 31/3-Q-21 and 31/2-X-23 at the Troll field in the northern part of the North Sea.