Transocean rig two weeks away from drilling ops offshore Australia

September 30, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

ConocoPhillips Australia (COPA), a subsidiary of the U.S.-headquartered energy giant ConocoPhillips, has embarked on pre-lay operations before it begins its natural gas exploration activities in the Otway Basin off the coast of Australia, with a rig owned by Transocean, an offshore drilling giant.

Transocean Equinox, former Songa Equinox; Credit: ALP Maritime

As part of efforts to meet Victoria’s and the broader East Coast’s future energy demands from 2028 and structural supply gaps from 2029, the Essington-1 well is the first one on the drilling agenda, according to ConocoPhillips’ partner, 3D Energi, a Melbourne-based oil and gas exploration player whose subsidiary, TDO, has a 20% interest in both permits.

While COPA currently holds the remaining 80% stake, the firm recently inked a deal to lower its stake to 51%, with Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) assuming a 29% interest. 3D Energi claims that vessel pre-lay operations for anchors and mooring chains have begun for the Transocean Equinox rig ahead of drilling at Essington-1.

The rig is currently expected to spud this well in mid-October 2025, subject to weather and operational conditions, followed by Charlemont-1 between November and December 2025 in the Commonwealth waters of VIC/P79.

As all required regulatory approvals for the Otway exploration drilling program are in place, 3D Energi is carried by ConocoPhillips Australia for up to $65 million in gross total drilling costs towards the two exploration wells.

The operator booked AHTS vessels from Sea1 Offshore, formerly Siem Offshore, and Transocean’s Transocean Equinox semi-submersible drilling rig to help it find more gas with the Otway project.